REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 37 



PALEOZOIC INVERTEBRATE FOSSILS. 



The principal work of the year in the department of paleozoic fossils 

 has been the preparation by Mr. C. D. Walcott, honorary curator, of a 

 representative series of fossils from each of the larger divisions of the 

 Paleozoic strata. The series, comprising 10,955 specimens, is now on 

 exhibition, and has been provided with labels. 



The curator was absent from the city seven months of the year in con- 

 nection with the work of the TJ. S. Geological Survey. During the re- 

 mainder of the year he devoted a large portion of his time to the prep- 

 aration of a paper on " The Taconic System of Emmons, and the use of 

 the name Taconic in Geologic jSTomenclature." 



During the year 158 specimens have been added to the collection, 

 and 350 entries have been made in the catalogue. 



MESOZOIC INVERTEBRATE FOSSILS. 



Dr. C. A. White, honorary curator, states in his annual report that it 

 has been necessary to devote the greater part of his time to the paleon- 

 tological work of the U. S. Geological Survey. A great deal has been 

 accomplished, however, in the identification of material sent for exami- 

 nation and in replying to letters addressed to the Museum asking for 

 information upon paleontological subjects. 



The most important accession of the year has been the Lea collection 

 of fossils, forming a part of the extensive collections bequeathed by the 

 late Dr. Isaac Lea to the Smithsonian Institution. A card catalogue 

 of the collection has been made. No specimens have yet been placed 

 upon exhibition, although a series of specimens representing the Meso- 

 zoic formation of ISTorth America is ready for exhibition as soon as cases 

 shall have been provided. Some important papers have been published 

 during the year by the curator. These are referred to in Section iv 

 (Bibliography) of this Keport. 



During the year 150 specimens have been added to the collection, and 

 30 entries have been made in the catalogue. 



FOSSIL AND RECENT PLANTS. 



Almost the entire time of Mr. Lester F. Ward, honorary curator, has 

 been devoted to his work as an officer of the U. S. Geological Survey. 

 Considerable progress has been made by Prof. Leo Lesquereux, of 

 Columbus, Ohio, in the identification of material collected in Oregon 

 by Capt. Charles B. Bendire. Professor Lesquereux's report was edited 

 and prepared for publication in the Proceedings of the U. S. National 

 Museum by Mr. F. H. Knowlton, assistant curator of this department. 



Mr. Knowlton continued his studies on the internal structure of fossil 

 plants and reached some interesting results. He also made an exami- 

 nation of fossil wood collected in the Yellowstone National Park. 



In July, 1887, the curator, accompanied by the assistant curator, left 

 Washington on an expedition to the Yellowstone National Park, the 



