22 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 262. 



number is at once recorded on the box and, 

 when the box is opened, on the label and 

 on each and every specimen contained in 

 the box with an oil paint. When it is 

 necessary to remove a number in working 

 out specimens from the matrix, the number 

 is copied on some other portion of the rock 

 or directly on the fossil before it is removed 

 from the other portion. This number is 

 the record of locality, stratigraphic posi- 

 tion, and history of discovery ; additional 

 information is added from time to time 

 under the number in the record book. 

 This includes the identification of the genus 

 and species and any data that may be of 

 importance. The removing of the number 

 from any specimen at once deprives it 

 largely of scientific value, and it is to the 

 interest of every one working on the collec- 

 tion to have it kept intact. When the 

 final work is done and the specimen is 

 identified, labeled with its name and ready 

 for exhibition, it then receives a catalogue 

 number. The old number, however, still 

 follows it in the record of the latter. 



The record of the entry number is kept 

 in duplicate and Professor Marsh is now 

 preparing another duplicate set to be filed 

 with the Geological Survey. This record 

 will show the number of boxes of spec- 

 imens received, from 1882 to 1891. The 

 laboratories and storage rooms provided by 

 the Yale University Museum represent a 

 floor space of over 9000 square feet, for 

 which the Geological Survey does not pay 

 rent. In addition to the collection at New 

 Haven, there are seventy boxes of verte- 

 brate fossils stored in the Armory building 

 in Washington, and a collection is now be- 

 ing prepared for exhibition iu the United 

 States National Museum. 



Respectfully yours, 



(Signed) Chas. D. Walcott, 



Paleontologist. 



Department of the Interioe, 

 United States Geological Survey, 



December 8, 1899. 



Professor S. P. Langley, 



Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Dear Sir : I have the honor to state that 

 all the vertebrate collections of the late 

 Professor O. C. Marsh, belonging to the 

 Government, have been shipped from New 

 Haven, Conn., and are now transferred to 

 the custody of the U. S. National Museum, 

 subject only to the use of such material as 

 may be necessary for study and illustration 

 in the completion of the monographs that 

 were in coui'se of preparation by Professor 

 Marsh at the time of his death. 



From a statement submitted by Mr. F. 

 A. Lucas, who had charge of the packing 

 of the collections, it appears that there 

 were 1200 trays (20-26 inches) of spec- 

 imens, 200 unopened boxes as received from 

 the field, 30 blocks and 90 prepared spec- 

 imens. To ship this material required 592 

 boxes, forming five car loads, having an ag- 

 gregate weight of 160,000 pounds. To this 

 there should be added two car loads con- 

 taining 211 boxes received from Professor 

 Marsh on deposit in 1891 and 1898. 



The actual number of specimens repre- 

 sented in this collection cannot be stated. 

 They range in size from minute teeth of 

 fossil mammals to individual specimens 

 weighing from 500 to 2000 pounds each. 

 The collections are rich in large Dinosauria, 

 especially in examples of Trieeratops and 

 Stegosaurus, while the series of Titanothe- 

 rium skulls is one of the best, if not the 

 best, in existence. It contains 50 or more 

 complete examples cleaned, and a num- 

 ber in the rough, besides many hundred 

 bones. 



Among the specimens transferred are the 

 types of 40 or more species, including Din- 

 osaurs and Jurassic, Cretaceous and Terti- 



