DEPARTMENT OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 237 



J. F. Moser, U. kS. Xavy; ascidians, annelids, and shrimps, from Grand 

 Manan, New Brunswick, presented l)y Dr. C Hart Merriam, of Wash- 

 ington, D. 0. ; crustaceans and starfishes from tlie west coast of Africa, 

 presented by H. Chatehiin. 



Prof. S. I. Smith, of Yale University, has sent to the Museum for 

 study the collection of Crustacea made in Bermuda, during 1870 and 

 1877, by Dr. G. Brown Goode, and the specimens of Panopeus obtained 

 by Fish Ciminiission parties in the West Indies at difi'erent times. 

 Prof. A. E. Yerrill has returned a small lot of Fish Commission speci- 

 mens, which have been stored in the Peabody Museum at New Haven, 

 and has supplied for study the specimens of PanopeuH l)elonging- to 

 that nuiseum. 



The Fish Commission collections of the higher Crustacea when re- 

 ceived in Washington are temi)orarily deposited with this department 

 to be assorted, catalogued, and prepared for study, and when identified 

 are transferred to the Museum. 



An unfinished manuscript report on the Decapod Crustacea., contain- 

 ing many valuable notes and a com[)rehensive bibliography of the sub- 

 ject, has been contributed by Prof. J. S. Kiiigsley, of the University of 

 Nebraska. It will be of great service in the study of this group. 



During the first part of the year the west hall of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, used by this department for exhibition purposes, remained 

 in the same condition as explained in the last rejiort, but in [)repara- 

 tion for the extensive repairs authorized by the last Congress, it became 

 necessary to close the hall to the public in March, and to make suitable 

 disposition of the collection which would soon liave been damaged by 

 the weather after the removal of the roof. The necessity for these re- 

 pairs has been evident for a long time, and during a severe storm in 

 August, 1890, many of the cases were fairly deluged with water, al- 

 though fortunately none of the objects they contained wei-e [termanently 

 damaged. The more hardy stony corals and sponges were left in the 

 upright wall cases, which were closely boxed in such a manner as to 

 insure the protection of the ca.ses and theii- contents. The unit cases, 

 together with the specimens stored in them, and the dis])lay collections 

 of crustaceans, echinoderms, and gorgonians, as well as some of the 

 stony corals and sponges, and the ak'oholics, were transferred to the 

 fish hall adjacent, where, in the limited spacM' available, as instructive 

 a display as possible has been made. 



The gallery in the main hall, used as a workroom and storeroom, 

 has been re arranged so as to aftbrd better facilities for stmly and the 

 assorting of collections, while its ventilation has also been improved. 

 The large number of dried sponges heretofore stored there, together 

 with some additional specimens not retpiiring immediate attention, 

 have been removed to two small rooms on the fourth floor of the south 

 tower, where, although inconv«Miient of access, they are safe from in- 

 jury. All other nuiterial has been placed in storage cases on the main 



