APRIL 19, 1901.] 
animal as they are incorporated in the 
museum. 
The general catalogue carries on each 
card the running number of the prepara- 
tion and beneath the same the accession 
number of the animal from which the 
Specimen is taken. It is thus possible, 
while avoiding needless repetition, to ascer- 
tain at once the details concerning any 
preparation by reference to the accession 
catalogue. The cards of the general cata- 
-. logue are arranged in accordance with the 
serial exhibition of themuseum. The run- 
ning number of the general museum and 
the accession number appear on the label 
of each preparation. In addition the in- 
dividual preparations carry two small disks 
of a bright color with a number. These 
are the complementary numbers of the 
preparation, referring it to some other 
group with which it is related, as well as 
indicating its position in its proper series. 
For example, the shoulder-girdle of the 
armadillo assumes its proper place in the 
series demonstrating the structure of this 
portion of the vertebrate skeleton, and is 
numbered accordingly on a green disk, so 
that its own place in the series is preserved, 
green being the color of that division of 
the museum which deals with the develop- 
ment of the pectoral and pelvic arches. If 
the armadillo’s number in the series is 17, 
and an additional preparation enters the 
series next to it, it receives green number 
17a, ete. 
In addition to the green number a small 
red disk on the armadillo preparation 
carries a number which refers the prepara- 
tion to its proper place in the series illus- 
trating the general anatomy of the Eden- 
tates, red being the serial color of that 
division. Soif itis desired to put together 
at once for comparison all the material con- 
tained in the museum for illustration of 
the Edentate type, every preparation carry- 
ing a red disk is taken out of its own series 
SCIENCE. 
611 
and the resulting group, when arranged in 
the sequence of the red numbers, forms the 
logical series treating of Edentate anatomy. 
This plan makes every portion of the 
museum easily and at once accessible, and 
arranges the series in such a manner that 
each shall prove complementary to all the 
others. 
By varying the shape of the colored 
labels and the character of the numerals 
sufficient range is obtained to meet all 
requirements. 
In addition—as the series develop—more 
extensive typewritten tablets are intro- 
duced, giving the general features of the 
group and indicating the purpose for which 
it was assembled. é 
Photographs and drawings of the prepa- 
rations, carefully labeled, are used. for 
indicating points of special importance, in 
such a manner that they can be readily 
identified in the actual preparation. These 
accessories prove of aid in the use of the 
museum for individual study and during 
informal demonstrations and conferences. 
I have attempted to outline for your con- 
sideration the present status of the mor- 
phological museum and its relation to the 
system of the university. I am convinced 
that the practical value of the institution 
will continue to make itself more and more 
felt, and its general adoption and develop- 
ment will be one of the prominent fea- 
tures marking our educational and scien- 
tific progress during the next decade. 
Gro. S. Huntrneronr. 
CoLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. 
SUGGESTIONS FOR AN ATTEMPT TO SECURE 
A STANDARD COLLEGE ENTRANCE 
OPTION IN BOTANY.* 
Tue rapid advancement of any science 
depends not only directly upon the re- 
* Read before the Society for Plant Morphology and 
Physiology at the Baltimore Meeting, December 28, 
1900. 
