20 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



lias steadily ineieased, and the exhibition series is now arranged in 

 l»ernianent shape. Additional accommodations have been provided for 

 the Department of Marine Invertebrates, Avhereby space is provided for 

 seven additional nnit cases. The development of the exhibition series 

 will be deferred until the west hall is again ready for occupation. In 

 the Department of Comparati\'e Anatomy the Avork of labeling the 

 series has been commenced and a tentative plan for a synoptic exhibi- 

 tion series has been arranged. The honorary curator of Paleozoic 

 fossils, Mr. C. D. Walcott^ finds it very diflicult to handle the large 

 amount of material received, owing to the limited laboratory room, and 

 over 50 boxes of material have been placed in storage in order to ob- 

 tain room for the collections desired for immediate study. The collec- 

 tion of mesozoic fossils, under the charge of Ur. C. A. White, have 

 been rearranged in cases, and are now in much better condition for 

 examination and study than before. The collection of fossil jdants, 

 under the supervision of Prof. Lester F. Ward, honorary curator, lias 

 been rearranged geographically during the year, and the series of cre- 

 raceons and tertiary specimens have been catalogued. In the Mineral 

 Department a nearly complete rearrangement of the systematic series 

 was carried out during' the year by Mr. Wm. S. Yeates, under the direc- 

 tion of Prof. r. W. Clarke, honorary curator. A new case was built 

 across the east end of the west-south range, affording to the Dei>art- 

 ment of Geology accommodations for the collection of structural color 

 and the speciiic gravity series, as well as for the larger collections in 

 historical geology. 



E.— THE IMUSEUM STAFF. 



THE SCIENTIFIC STAFF. 



The personnel of the scientific departments of the Museum has un- 

 <lergone but little change during the last fiscal year. 



( -apt. J. W. Collins, who has Ijeen in charge of the section of naval 

 architecture for several years, has recently been ai)pointed honorary 

 curator of the section of fisheries. 



Mr. J. B. Hatcher was temi)orarily appointed in December as an as- 

 sistant to Prof. O. C. Marsh, honorary curator of the dei)artment of 

 Aertebrate fossils, for the pnrx)ose of arranging and classifying the 

 collection which has uoav been transferred to the Museum. 



Mr. Frederick C. Test, a graduate of Indiana State University, was 

 appointed an aid in November, 1890, to assist Dr. Stejneger, in the de- 

 partment of reptiles and batrachians. 



There are now thiity-thice organized departments and sections in the 

 Museum under the care of curators, including honorary and acting 

 CUVators, and assistant ciiratoi's, 



