DEPARTMENT OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 175 



imen of Sebastes marinus infested with a new and large species of 

 leruaian parasite, was received from Mr. E. G. Blackford, of New York. 



As elsewhere explained, the curator and his two assistants were at 

 Wood's Holl, Massachusetts, from early in July until the first part of Oc- 

 tober; but although the work there in hand was connected directly with 

 the investigations of the Fish Commission, it consisted in large part of 

 the assorting and preservation of collections which in the autumn were 

 transferred to the custody of the National Museum. Mr. A. H. Bald- 

 win, who had been employed in the department during the previous two 

 years, resigned his position in October, and for the remainder of the 

 year the curator was assisted only by Miss M. J, Rathbun. Being- 

 obliged to give nearly all of his time to Fish Commission duties, the 

 curator has but little progress to record either in the arrangement and 

 classification of the collections or in the enlargement of the exhibition 

 series. The current work was, however, promptly attended to, and all 

 collections received were assorted, catalogued, and properly cared for. 

 The extensive alterations in connection with the fire-proofing of a part 

 of the west end of the Smithsonian Institution, which continued during 

 nearly the entire year, greatly interfered with the work of the depart- 

 ment and necessitated our vacating for that time about one-half of the 

 space allotted to the alcoholic collections of marine invertebrates. The 

 main part of the collections being thus crowded together in a much 

 smaller area than they ordinarily occupied, it was impossible to give 

 tbem all the care they required, but no serious losses appear to have 

 been sustained during this period. Before the close of the year the 

 small room and hall space assigned to this department in the west base- 

 ment had been refitted with cases and the specimens were being 

 returned to their old quarters. No changes have been made in the gal- 

 lery of the main hall, where the dried specimens are stored. The exhi- 

 bition hall has necessarily been closed to the public, in consequence of 

 the repairs to the fish hall through which access to it is gained. 



A small representative series of specimens was supplied to Mr. 

 Frederick A. Lucas as the nucleus of a synoptical collection of marine 

 invertebrates, which was exhibited in part at the Cincinnati Centennial 

 Exposition during the summer of 1888. 



The greater part of the routine work, including the sorting and cata- 

 loguing of collections and the supervision of the alcoholic specimens, 

 which require constant attention to insure their safety, has devolved 

 upon Miss Rathbun, to whom credit is chiefly due for the excellent con- 

 dition of the department at the end of the fiscal year. 



