REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 33 



IXVKUTKIJKATK FOSSILS (:\IKSOZ(JIC). 



Dr. C. A. White, of the U. S, Geoloj;ieal Survey, is still iu charge of 

 this department as honorary curator. His counectiou with the Survey 

 renders it impossible for him to devote much of his time to IMuseum 

 work. The (udlection of this department is steadily increasing, and 

 is now in better condition for examination and study than hitherto. 

 It has not yet been found i)racticable to separate the specimens into 

 reserve, dui)licate, and exhibition series. 



During- the year, 1488 entries, embracing 8,449 specimens, ha\e been 

 made in the catalogue. 



DIVISION OF BOTANY. 



FOSSIL PLANTS. 



Prof. Lester F, Ward, of the U. S. Geological Survey, continues to 

 act as honorary curator of this department. He states that the work 

 of the year has been chiefly contined to the installation and care of 

 specimens, the collection being now in excellent condition for study. 

 The most important accessions are a collection of Dakota plants, sent 

 by Prof. F. H. Snow, of the University of Kansas, and the collection 

 given by Capt. Charles E. Bendire, comprising 700 specimens. Mr. 

 David White, assistant, has been engaged in work on the carbonifer- 

 ous plant collections and in preparing a bibliography of paleo- 

 botany. Mr. Charles S. Prosser has devoted his time largely to the 

 preparation of a paleo-botanical species index. Mr. F. H. Knowlton, 

 assistant curator, made collections of fossil wood and plant-remains in 

 the Gallatin Valley, Montana. He has also continued his studies on 

 fossil wood, and has in preparation a paper on paleozoic woods. . Prof. 

 William M. Fontaine, of the University of Virginia, has completed his 

 studies of the Potomac flora. 



KECENT PLANTS. 



There has been considerable growth in this department during the 

 year, the number of mounted sheets added to the National Herbarium 

 being 50 i)er cent more than during last year. Dr. George Vasey, 

 Botanist of the Dei)artment of Agriculture, continues his valuable 

 services as honorary curator of the National Herbarium. Dr. Vasey has 

 been assisted by Mr. Fred. Coville, who has made many valuable col- 

 lections in the tield, and has also materially aided in the work of arrang- 

 ing and classifying specimens. The accessions received during the year 

 number 622, including a most valuable (jollection of 10,000 si)ecimens 

 gathered by Edward J*almer in western Mexico, from the States of 

 Sonora and Colima; a collection of 1,740 specimens from the Death 

 Valley region of California, from Arizona, and Nevada, obtained by 

 Mr. Coville and Mr. Frank Funston; a large collection of mosses and 



SM 01, PT 2^ — 3 



