REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. .'J!) 



having resigned, Dr. Leohhard Stejneger was in March appointed Cura- 

 tor of the department. He lias commenced making a complete 1 exami- 

 nation of the entire eolleetion, an<l reports that at the close of the fiscal 

 year he was still at work on the reserve series of North American spe- 

 cies. The cataloguing of the new material and of specimens previously 

 received but not catalogued, has been continued. The most important 

 accession during the year was the collection made by the naturalists of 

 the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. It contains three hun- 

 dred and nineteen specimens, which have been sent to Prof. E. 1). Cope, 

 of Philadelphia, for special report. Four other accessions are mentioned 

 in the Curator's report as of especial interest. 



The types of eight species have been Identified and re-labeled. Dur- 

 ing the year Professor Cope has finished his work on the North 

 American Batrachians, published as Bulletin 34 of the C. S. National 

 Museum, and has commenced a study of North American snakes. Dr. 

 G. Baur, of Yale College, has had for study a number of Ch'elbriiatis, 

 and some of the results of his studies are referred to in the bibliog- 

 raphy.* 



Dr. Stejneger reports that the condition of the collection is good, hut 

 that the re-numbering and re-labeling of specimens is constantly found 

 to be necessary. During the year 741 specimens have been added to 

 the collection, and 784 entries made in the catalogue. The excess of 

 the latter over the former is accounted for by the fact that some of the 

 material received before this fiscal year had not been catalogued. 



The Curator has been unable to devote much time to scientific study 

 of the collection during the few months he has been in charge. What 

 little he has been able to do has been in connection with an invest i<>a- 

 tion of the status of the boiform snakes of North America, with special 

 reference to individual variation. 



Department of Fishes. — It has been necessary for Dr. Tarleton H. 

 Bean, Honorary Curator of this department, to spend the greater part 

 of the year on special work pertaining to the Fish Commission. Dr. 

 r.can has recently taken charge of the editorial work of the Fish Com- 

 mission, leaving very little time to be devoted to Museum matters. 1 hir- 

 ing his absence from the city Mr. Barton A. Bean; his assistant, was 

 left in charge of the department. The entire collection of fishes has 

 been overhauled and the jars supplied with fresh alcohol. In addition 

 to the large and valuable collections received from the II. S. Fish Com- 

 mission, several other important collections have been added to the <•<>! 

 lection. Ten of these are especially referred to in the report of the Cu- 

 rator. 



During the last six months of the year Dr. Bean prepared mid had 

 published in various journals numerous papers upon the Stilmonidcc and 

 other species of lishes. A list of these papers is given in the Bibliog 



raphy.* 



— — — 



" See Seel i'>n iv. 



