36 REPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1888. 



The curator has visited Europe during the year, and consulted a number 

 of correspondents and specialists in reference to entomological work in 

 other museums. 



Mr. J. B. Smith, assistant curator, has, in addition to performing the 

 routine work of the dej)artment, prepared for publication a number of 

 entomological papers, a list of which will be found in Section iv of this 

 Eeport. Several important investigations have been conducted during 

 the year by the curator, assistant curator, and co-workers of the de- 

 jjartment. 



During the year about 10,000 specimens have been added to the col- 

 lection, and 56 entries have been made in the catalogue. 



MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 



In consequence of increased duties in connection with the work of 

 the TJ. S. Fish Commission, Mr. Eathbun, honorary curator of this de- 

 partment, has been unable to devote as much time as in previous years 

 to museum work. The repairs which have been made in the west por- 

 tion of the Smithsonian building have interfered seriously with the rou- 

 tine work of this department. The investigations of the curator have 

 related chiefly to subjects bearing more or less directly on i^roblems 

 connected with the work of the TJ. S. Fish Commission. Seventeen of 

 the thirty-three accessions received during the year were contributed 

 by or through the medium of the U. S. Fish Commission. The current 

 work of the department has been kept up and all the accessions of the 

 year have been properly cared for. 



A large number of duplicate sets of specimens of marine invertebrates 

 have been distributed during the year to various schools and universi- 

 ties. This material has been courteously placed at«the disposal of the 

 Smithsonian Institution for this purpose by the TJ. S. Commissioner of 

 Fisheries. As in former years this department has received the benefit 

 of the CO operation of many eminent specialists, and members of the sci- 

 entific staff in the service of the TJ. S. Fish Commission have rendered 

 very valuable assistance in their special lines of study. 



During the year about 65,000 specimens have been added to the col- 

 lection, and 1,021 entries have been made in the catalogue. 



COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. 



IsTo special investigations have been made in connection with the ma- 

 terial in this department, the work of research having been necessarily 

 subordinated to that of identifying, cataloguing, and preserving the 

 specimens received during the year. 



The total number of specimens received during the year is 536, in- 

 cluding skulls, and skeletons of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes. 

 One of the most important accessions is a series of bones of the extinct 

 Dodo, received from Cambridge, England. 



The work of labeling the exhibition series has made progress. 



