EEPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 



51 



The following table shows the number and dates of " Saturday lect- 

 ures " delivered up to the close of the last season : 



Tear. 



Date of first and last lecture. 



No. of 

 lectures. 



1882. 

 1883. 

 1884. 

 1885. 

 1886. 

 1887. 

 1888. 



March 11, April 29 



January 13, March 31. 

 January 5, April 26. . . 



February 7, May 2 



March 6, May 8 



March 12, May 7 



February 18, May 5. . . 



Total 



By j)ermission of the Director of the Museum several societies have 

 held their meetings in the Museum lecture hall. The following soci- 

 eties have availed themselves of this privilege during the year: 



The l^ational Academy of Sciences, on April 17, 18, 19, and 20. 



The Botanical Section of the Biological Society of Washington, on 

 April 4, May 3, and June 6. 



The Biological Society, annual meeting, on February 1. 



The Amateur Botanical Club of Washington, with the following pro- 

 gram of special papers : 



December 10, 1887. — Prof. Miles Rock : The Guatemala Forests. 

 December 21.— Froi. J. W. Chickering: The Flora of Alaska. 



January 7. — 1888. — Prof. Edward S. Burgess: The Fresh Water Algse of the Dis- 

 trict. 

 January 21. — Dr. George Vasey : Some Important Medical Plants. 



STUDENTS. 



Free access has, as usual, been granted to students in the various 

 branches of natural history. At the request of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, and under the provision of section xiv of the act approved June 

 16, 1878, and section iv of article ix of the Police Eegulation to kill birds 

 within the District of Columbia for scientific purposes, permission has 

 been given to several applicants to collect birds and bird's eggs in the 

 District of Columbia. 



Lieut. T. Dix Bolles, U. S. Kavy, has been detailed by the Secretary 

 of the Navy to special duty in the National Museum, and has accom- 

 idished a large amount of important work in connection with the classi- 

 tication of the extensive Eskimo collections in the Museum. Prof. G. 

 Stanley Hall has devoted considerable time to an investigation of the 

 subject of mythology from the psycho-physical point of view, and for 

 this purpose has been granted access to the ethnological collections. 

 Prof. E. D. Cope has continued his studies upon the Batrachia in the Mu- 

 seum collection. The unnamed species of Acrididce have been sent to Mr. 

 Lawrence Brunner, of West Point, Nebraska, at his request, for study. 



