REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1924 55 



being made over by our taxidermists. Cleaned skeletons and skulls 

 to the number of 462 were entered on the card catalogue list, 

 labeled and distributed in the collection. With the help of a cata- 

 loguer progress was made, but at the close of the year the cleaned 

 specimens needing, attention had again assumed considerable pro- 

 portions. Dr. Alexander Wetmore has kindly continued his labors 

 with this part of the collections. A considerable amount of old 

 alcoholic material was examined, numbers and data verified, and 

 labels written. The alcohol was replenished and many specimens 

 previously stored in bulk were separated out and placed in more 

 suitable containers. The eggs and nests received during the year 

 were catalogued and filed away. Distribution of specimens in the 

 systematic series has not been accomplished but otherwise the con- 

 dition of the collections is very satisfactory. 



In the division of reptiles and batrachians 2,500 specimens were 

 installed in permanent places in the storage room, a considerable 

 gain over the number of specimens received during the year. The 

 washing and refilling of the jars has gone forward as usual. The 

 replacing of old cork-stoppered jars by standard glass-stoppered 

 containers has not progressed as desired because of the difficulty in 

 obtaining proper glassware. 



In the division of fishes the collections have been thoroughly in- 

 spected, containers refilled, cleaned, and labels restored when neces- 

 sary. The material received during the year has been determined, 

 catalogued, and installed in the systematic series. The duplicates 

 have been separated from the study series thus facilitating the as- 

 sembling of sets for distribution. The condition of the collection is 

 reported to be excellent. 



The collection of insects was furnished 600 insect drawers render- 

 ing it possible to make substantial progress in transferring the older 

 part of the collection to the tray system, as 350 of the drawers were 

 fitted for trays. The remainder, as well as many lined drawers 

 released by the process of transfer, were used by the section of Lepi- 

 doptera. Dr. H. E. Ewing has arranged the collection during the 

 year, and also begun the transferring of the tick collection into new 

 standardized equipment, about one-half of the collection having been 

 thus transferred. The collection of mites has also been arranged as 

 far as practicable. At present, practically all of the slides are stored 

 in temporary boxes and it will be necessary to have additional equip- 

 ment to properly house this rapidly growing, important collection. 

 He has also rearranged the entire collection of fleas. Much of the 

 material had to be transferred to slides, and the collection is now in 

 a very satisfactory condition. In the section of Coleoptera much of 



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