138 



EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



It is impossible to state the number of specimens in the osteological 

 collection other than in the exhibition series, but the following table 

 gives the increase during the year as indicated by the catalogues : 



Class. 



Last entry 



number recorded in 



catalogue — 



June 30, 



1886. 



June 30, 



1887. 



Increase. 



Mammals 



Birds 



Eeptiles and Batrachians 

 Fishes 



22, 363 

 17, 561 

 29, 229 

 26, 063 



22, 693 



18, 029 

 29,239 

 26, 067 



330 



468 



10 



4 



On June 30, 1887, there were 425 specimens on exhibition : 



Skeletons : 



Mammals 168 



Birds 55 



Eeptiles.. 33 



Fishes 23 



Total 279 



Skulls : 



Mammals 61 



Birds , 16 



Total 77 



Morphological and histiological se- 

 ries 69 



Additional assistance is very greatly needed in this department, and 

 the lack of it is being more and more severely felt. Much of the ma- 

 terial received is of such a character as to require immediate attention, 

 and this causes constant interruption of work already well under way, 

 the assistant curator being compelled to devote to the work of prepa- 

 ration time which could be much more profitably employed. 



The collection of alcoholic birds is in want of immediate attention, 

 many specimens having lain untouched for ten or fifteen years, and to 

 make this valuable mass of material thoroughly available a card cata- 

 logue is imperatively needed. A catalogue of the bird-skeletons, if 

 available, would also be of much service. 



