238 



REPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



floor. This roiuljustiiient of the collections h;is made room for seven 

 unit cases in the gallery, uft"or<liiig' the means for disposing of most of 

 the loose trays which had i)reviously been stacked upon the floor. 

 Three wall cases for alcoholic specimens have also been built in this gal- 

 lery, and are now utilized for the type eolleetions of Brachyura being 

 studied by Mr. lienedict and Miss Ivathbun. 



The customary routine work of the departn)ent has occupied a largo 

 share of the time<tf the assistants. The collections received luiNcbeen 

 unpacked, assorted, and catalogued. »Se\ eral sets of duplicate speci- 

 mens for exchange and for gratuitous distribution have been prepared 

 and sent out. The extensive collection of marine invertebrates made 

 by the Fish Commission steamer Albatross on its cruise to Panama and 

 the Galapagos Islands, during the winter of 1890-01, was also partly 

 assorted here, preparatory to the assigiunent of the diflferent groups to 

 specialists for study. 



The researches made on the Br((chyi(ra and Auomoura have necessi- 

 tated the overhauling of all the siM'cimens belonging to those groups, 

 and the extension and partial revision of the card catalogue descriptive 

 of them. The card catalogue of the macruran and lower crustaceans 

 has also been revised and brought down to date, and that of the anne- 

 lids has been taken up for the same purpose. A few (crustaceans have 

 been jnounted for the display cases, rather as an experiment, hoAvever, 

 as it has not been deemed expedient to enlarge the exhibition series 

 until the west hall is again made ready for occupation. 



The auKmnt of cataloguing done during the year is explained in the 

 following table: 



(ironp. 



Crustaceans 



Worms 



Bryozoans and Ascidiaiis 



Eclimotlernis and CVelenterates. 

 Sponges and Protozoans 



Total 



Entries to 

 June 30, 1890. 



14, 934 



4,810 

 2,844 

 17, 459 



C, 287 



Entries to 

 June 30, 1891. 



15, 814 

 4,935 

 2, 8G0 



17,640 

 G, 315 



Number of 

 entries made 

 during year. 



880 

 125 

 25 

 181 



28 



1, 239 



Mr. Benedict has c<mtiuued his studies upon the Brachyura and 

 Auomoura belonging to the department, assisted by Miss Rathbun. 

 This collection is one of the largest and most important of its kind that 

 has ever been brought together, representing all parts of the world, 

 but being especially rich in specimens from the coasts of the United 

 States and the deeper waters adjacent t6 them. Until a year ago, this 

 rich field had received very little attention in the department, and 

 much time has naturally been consumed in overhauling and assorting 

 the specimens, and in identifying those which had previously been 

 described. It was considered important to (complete the general revi- 



