34 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1915. 



consisted, as usual, largely of studied material, representing folio 

 series, deposited by the Geological SurYe3^ Mention should also be 

 made of an interesting collection of obsidians from Iceland, pre- 

 sented by Dr. F. E. Wright, and illustrating his studies on the origin 

 of spherulitic structure. 



An extensive series of Devonian fossils, representing the lifelong 

 collecting of Prof. Henry Shaler Williams, and including many 

 faunas not previously represented in the Museum, formed the largest 

 and most important accession in invertebrate paleontolog3^ It was 

 transferred by the Geological Survey, which also deposited nearly 

 600 specimens of type and other monographic material. Other large 

 acquisitions consisted of about 5,000 specimens of European Paleo- 

 zoic and Mesozoic fossils; some 6,000 specimens of Ordovician and 

 Silurian fossils from Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky; and about 

 6,000 Cambrian fossils from China. A series of Mesozoic sponges 

 from Germany is especially adapted for exhibition purposes, as is 

 also a large slab containing numerous Devonian glass sponges from 

 New York. Additional specimens from the cave deposit at Cum- 

 berland, Md., referred to in previous reports, comprising 15 more or 

 less complete skulls and other fragmental material, were obtained 

 through the generous financial aid of Mr. John B. Henderson. 

 Portions of a mastodon discovered at Winamac, Ind., indicate the 

 existence at that place of a more or less complete skeleton, which the 

 Museum has obtained permission to excavate. Other important con- 

 tributions include 30 dinosaurian skin plates from the Lance forma- 

 tion in Wyoming; a composite skeleton of a dog, and three skulls 

 and lower jaws, from the Rancho La Brea asphalt deposits at Los 

 Angeles, Cal. ; and a large part of the skeleton of the extinct swim- 

 ming reptile, Mosasaurus, from Montana. 



The division of textiles received so many and such variety of addi- 

 tions as to render an adequate summation impossible within the 

 compass of this report. Of particular popular interest is a series of 

 machines for ginning, drawing, spinning, and weaving cotton, which 

 it is intended, in part at least, to provide with motive power so as 

 to be able to actually demonstrate to the public the processes of manu- 

 facture from the raw material to the finished product. The processes 

 in the manufacture of worsted goods and of carded woolen fabrics 

 are also fully illustrated by a large series of specimens. Besides 

 standard goods of cotton, wool, silk, etc., the contributions include 

 a great array of specialties and novelties, materials recently jjlaced 

 upon the market, or soon to be, in satisfaction of the ever-increasing 

 demand for new stuffs and new patterns. Printed cotton goods, 

 printed cotton draperies, upholstery fabrics; pile fabrics for dress and 

 decorative purpose, including beautiful examples of artificial furs; 

 brocaded dress silks for the fall season of 1915, new printed satins, 



