REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1922. 63 



more assistance than is now available. Sorting and separating of 

 miscellaneous lots of unidentified material has been done, however, 

 as required in connection with its determination. The rearrangement 

 of the entire alcoholic collections undertaken two years ago, when 

 the division of echinoderms was instituted, is still under way. When 

 completed, it will be highly beneficial to both divisions. The present 

 condition of the collection, both dry and alcoholic, is as good as it 

 was last year and perhaps better. 



The routine work of caring for the collection of mollusks has 

 made good progress. Rearrangement of the much-discussed Ameri- 

 can shipworms has been completed, and the specimens are now avail- 

 able for study by persons who are interested in the animals from 

 either the scientific or economic standpoint. It is believed that if 

 opportunity is taken to consult this collection, much of the existing 

 dissension will be overcome and many points of controversy will be 

 settled. Especially satisfactory work has been accomplished in ar 

 ranging the Hawaiian material and the Japanese material. The im- 

 portance of this work is indicated by the fact that from both Hawaii 

 and Japan our collections are greater than those in any other mu- 

 seum. The curator reports that " the collections are in splendid 

 shape as far as installation is concerned; the revisional work, an ever- 

 lasting task, is progressing as rapidly as the time of our limited 

 staff will permit." 



The general overhauling of the echinoderm collections begun last 

 year was not continued during the present year, for the reason that 

 it is not practicable to go on with the work until the return of the 

 starfishes now in the hands of Professor Fisher for revision. Con- 

 siderable progress has been made in transferring specimens from 

 the unidentified collections to the classified series. The present con- 

 dition of the collection is excellent and better than last year. 



Curatorial work connected with the upkeep and increase of the 

 National Herbarium has progressed satisfactorily during the year. 

 Mr. Standley, in the course of his work upon the flora of Central 

 America, has reidentified a considerable number of specimens, and 

 similar important work of revision has been done in several groups, 

 particularly in the composites by Dr. S. F. Blake, the willows by 

 Dr. C. R. Ball, certain leguminous genera by Prof. C. V. Piper, the 

 grasses by Dr. A. S. Hitchcock and Mrs. Agnes Chase, and the ferns 

 by Doctor Maxon. A large amount of material of exceptional value 

 has been received during the year, nearly all of this having been re- 

 ceived unmounted. The mounting of this material and its incor- 

 poration in the herbarium necessarily involves a very great amount 

 of work. Under the old plan of mounting the specimens exclusively 

 by adhesive plaster progress was so slow that it has been necessary 



