94 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



REVIEW AND RESEARCHES. 



A considerable amount of material has been forwarded to Prof. E. D. 

 Cope for study and investigation, and will be treated of in Ms forth- 

 coming work on South American reptiles. No papers have been pub- 

 lished by the curator or his assistant on material belonging to the de- 

 partment. 



The tabulated statement here presented shows the extent of the col- 

 lections at the present time: 



Number of specimens received from Jannary 1 to June 30, 1885 134 



Number of specimens in reserve series 8,926 



In genei'al series 8,819 



Exhibition series (selected for), 750 



Not classified and exotic specimens, probably , 5,000 



Total. 23,62f> 



Number of entries in Museum catalogue from January 1 to June 30, 1885 82 



Last number in catalogue for 1884 , 14,066 



Last catalogue number in June, 1885 14, 148 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The curator respectfully reiterates his recommendations of previous 

 years with regard to the great necessity for more space for the collection, 

 and adds that it appears particularly desirous that the reptile speci- 

 mens, which are mostly alcoholic, should be preserved in a separate 

 fire-proof building. 



