88 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1904. 



In the division of marine invertebrates, a special cataloguer was 

 employed for two and one-half months in bringing up the records of 

 various series, especially the Hawaiian crabs and shrimps, the amphi- 

 pods of the New England coast, identified by Dr. S. J. Holmes, and 

 the isopods obtained during the investigation of the salmon fisheries 

 of Alaska by the Bureau of Fisheries in 1903. Fifty-one sets of 

 duplicates, each containing about 200 specimens, were distributed, 

 together with several special sets of few specimens each. 



As the Helminthological collections are without separate permanent 

 quarters, no special action was taken in connection with them beyond 

 the care required to keep them in good condition. They constitute, 

 according to the custodian, Dr. C. W. Stiles, the finest collection for 

 study purposes in the country. 



The work done in the national herbarium is reported on as follows 

 by Mr. F. V. Coville, honorary curator: 



During the year we have added 64 standard insect-proof cases, making 312 now in 

 use. In addition, we have added 5 half-units, making 12 now in use. Beside these, 

 We have had constructed 17 three- fourths-unit cases, for storage purposes only. 

 This gives us a total of 7,938 pigeonholes. No insects have been observed in these 

 cases during the last six months, although they have been very bad in other parts 

 of the herbarium. The entire herbarium is now stored in insect-proof cases, except 

 the following groups: Lower cryptogams ( exclusive of alga'), the ferns and fern allies 

 and the coniferge. 



Practically all the specimens which have been mounted during the year have been 

 stamped and recorded. The number of specimens stamped and incorporated in 

 the permanent herbarium since its transfer to the National Herbarium on July 1, 

 1894, is 241,000. Of these, 21,000 have been added the past year. 



Owing to our small force, only a little work has been done toward stamping and 

 recording the old part of the herbarium. Our record shows only 429 of these speci- 

 mens stamped, all of which were loaned for study. 



The specimens are recorded in large books, each one of which contains space for 

 5,000 names. Thirty-five of these have been closed and 13 are still open. Seven 

 new books were opened during the year. 



The following table shows the number of plants mounted during the last few 

 years, exclusive of the lower cryptogams: 



1898-99 22, 556 



1899-1900 22, 272 



1900-1901 • 18, 117 



1901-02 18, 000 



1902-03 21, 076 



1903-04 29, 700 



The number of specimens mounted, as is here shown, is 29,700. This is the 

 largest number mounted during the last six years. This large number is due to the 

 fact that some $400 was transferred to our account, which was used in mounting 

 specimens. Of these plants, 21,900 were mounted by contract at a costjof $876, while 

 3,350 were mounted by the Department of Agriculture. 



The rearrangement of the herbarium according to the Engler and Prantl sequence, 

 to which reference was made in the last two annual reports, has been continued. 

 The work has continued from near the end of family No. 105, the Crucifene, to the 

 beginning of family No. 246, Gentianaceae. 



