REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF MOLLUSKS 



(INCLUDING CENOZOIC FOSSILS) 



IN THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, IHfll. 



By William H. Dall, Honomnj (in-idnr. 



The force of the departiiieiif of inollusks diuiiiy; tlie past year has, in 

 addition to the honorary cnrator, inclnded Dr. E. E. C Stearns, U. S. 

 Geological Snrvey, adjnnct cnrator; Mr. Charles Torrey Simjjson, aid; 

 Mr. S. Hazeu Bond, copyist, and Miss KC. Beard, copyist. The three 

 last mentioned have comprised the i)aid force of the department, while, 

 as in previons years, by permission of the Director of the U. S. Geo- 

 logical Survey, in addition to the cnrator, Dr. Stearns, Mr. Gilbert D. 

 Harris, and Mv. Frank Bnriis, of the U. S. Geological Snrvey, have 

 devoted more or less of their time to the work of tlie department in 

 connection witli their iialeontological stndies, with valnable resnlts. 

 The writer lias, with the permission of the Director of the Geological 

 Snrvey, continned to act as Inmorary cnrator. 



Excellent progress in the routine work of the department has been 

 made dnring the year. The nnmbcr oi' registrations is abont the same 

 as that of last year, but in other directions the progress made has been 

 exceptional. The tops of the new cases on the ground tloor of the 

 Smithsonian have been ntilizcd by ])lacing the Lea collection of Unio- 

 nida' on exhibition, and tilling the remaining tables with wsijccimens 

 suitable for exhibition. Owing to the onerous duties of the entire 

 staft", due to delays caused by an unusual amount of sickness, part of 

 the central upright cases still remain to be filled and arranged. 



It is with great regret that I am obliged to note that the imperfect 

 health of my coadjutor, Dr. Stearns, has obliged him to seek rest. He has 

 been able to render servi(;es of a kind for which few are qualified. His 

 ■energy, devotion, and knowledge have been of the highest value to this 

 department, and his absence nearly doubles the work of the curator. 



GENERAL OPEKATIONS. 



The general operations of the department, as in previons years, have 

 comprised: (1) The detcrnnnation, labeling, ])roper as.sorting, and reg- 

 istration of specimens, old and new; and (2) the ])reparation of special 

 reports on Government collections made by other branches of the Ex- 

 .ecutive De})artments, such as the U. S. Fish Commission, the LI. S. I^avy, 

 SM 91, PT 2 15 225 



