40 ANNUAL EEPOKT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1908. 



lections of marine invertebrates obtained during ttie early seacoast work of 

 the Bureau of P^islieries, and placed in the care of Prof. A. E. Verrill for 

 study and description, lias added a large number of types and a still greater 

 number of species not previously represented in the museum. 



The collection in helniinthology has reached a position of much practical 

 importance, since it contains a great deal of material resulting from govern- 

 ment investigations on the diseases of man and of wild and domestic animals. 

 These specimens have been mainly obtained through the IMarine-Hospital Serv- 

 ice, the Bureau of Animal Industry, and the Bureau of Fisheries. The rapid 

 growth and exceptionally fine condition of the collection are due to the efforts 

 of representatives of the two bureaus first mentioned, who are in charge of 

 the subject. 



The division of plants received a total of about 25,000 specimens, mainly 

 collected in North and Central America, the largest accessions coming from the 

 Department of Agriculture. Much valuable material was also derived from the 

 explorations of Dr. J. N. Rose in the southwestern United States and northern 

 Mexico. 



In the department of geology the most important accessions were of fossil 

 invertebrates, some of which were especially large and noteworthy. Among 

 them may be mentioned the celebrated Gustav Hambach collection, purchased 

 by the Smithsonian Institution ; the Gilbert collection of Niagaran fossils from 

 northern Indiana ; a very large series of Cambrian fossils, resulting from 

 explorations in British Columbia and Idaho during the summer of 1907 by 

 Secretary Charles D. Walcott ; many recently described specimens deposited by 

 the United States Geological Survey ; extensive collections from the Paleozoic 

 formations of Tennessee and Virginia, made by Doctor Bassler ; and valuable 

 exchanges from Germany and France. 



Of fossil vertebrates there were two especially important additions. One con- 

 sisted of a large number of rare species of reptiles and mammals from various 

 horizons in the United States and South America, obtained through exchange 

 with the American Museum of Natural History ; the other of the remains of 

 several species of fossil mammals, in a more or less fragmentary condition, col- 

 lected by Mr. Gilmore on the Smithsonian expedition to Alaska. Among other 

 additions to the department were series of rocks and ores, mainly from the 

 Geological Survey, a number of rare minerals, and three meteorites. 



CAKE AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE COLLECTIONS. 



As collections are received at the museum they are assigned to the divisions 

 to which they belong, and are at once labeled and recorded as to their origin, 

 in order to insure their identity and future usefulness. The work of classifica- 

 tion and systematic arrangement which follows requires the naming of the 

 objects or specimens, entailing extensive studies which often result in impor- 

 tant contributions to knowledge. The staff of employees directly connected 

 with the handling of the collections has always been much too small to per- 

 form this duty in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, and, while the safety of the 

 collections has been secured by constant vigilance, it can not be said that their 

 maintenance has been all that was desirable. These conditions may, of course, 

 be largely attributed to the inadequate quarters afforded, but many of the diffi- 

 culties arising from this cause might readily have been overcome with a greater 

 force of helpers. 



The routine work of caring for the collections is the same from year to year, 

 and scarcely merits repetition in this connection. There was the customary 

 overhauling and cleaning of the dried specimens and of the drawers and cases 



