31 



The work of arrangement and identification of the specimens has been, 

 continued during the year, and much progress has been made in several de- 

 partments. In this the superintendent has been much aided by the voluntary 

 work of Mr. Caleb Cook who, since his return from Zanzibar, has devoted 

 his whole time to the Institute, and done much towards the preparation of 

 specimens and their arrangement, and has materially increased the good name 

 of the Institute by his invaluable aid in separating duplicate specimens and 

 preparing them for distribution. 



To Dr. B. Pickman the superintendent is also much indebted for his 

 voluntary labor and assistance. 



Mr. James H. Emerton, the Curator of Articulata, has continued to de- 

 vote a part of his time to the valuable and large collection under his charge, 

 and has always been ready to aid in the general work of the Museum. 



Attention is again called to the necessity of providing increased means, 

 for the proper care and arrangement of the pinned Insects under the charge 

 of this curator, who, with the most untiring zeal, will not be able to prevent 

 the loss of a large number of specimens, during the coming year, unless 

 something is done towards providing for their permanent arrangement. 



The Ethnological section of the Historical Department has received 

 many valuable donations from sixty-two persons. The Institute is much in- 

 debted to Mr. John Robinson, the curator in charge of this section, for his 

 faithfulness, and it is to him entirely that its present good state of preserva- 

 tion and accurate arrangement is due; though, from the very limited space 

 which is allotted to it, he is unable to fully carry out the details of his plan. 



The Manuscripts have received the attention of Mr. W. P. Upham, but 

 untill further accommodations for them are provided this large and valuable 

 part of the Historical Department can be of little use to the student of histo- 

 ry. Attention is therefore especially called to the curator's report of this 

 section. 



More or less work has been done in all the departments of the Museum 

 and its condition and arrangement has been much improved, and its value 

 thereby greatly increased. Much labor is still required, however, in order 

 to fully perfect the proposed arrangement of the whole Museum. 



Prof. E. D. ope, of Philadelphia, has agreed to furnish, for publication, 

 a complete catalogue of the Reptiles, and the Batrachians and Saurians are 

 now in his hands for identification. 



Prof. H. Wood, Jr., of Philadelphia, has also kindly consented to iden- 

 tify the collection of Myriapodes and Centipedes, and tho specimens have 

 been sent to him for that purpose. 



Prof. Theodore Gill, of the Smithsonian Institution, has borrowed and 

 safely returned the small collection of skulls of Seals which are now labeled 

 according to his identifications. He has also borrowed, for study, a skull, 

 of the Tapir. 



