THIRD REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I906 73 



year the zoological collections of the Museum will be completely 

 inventoried and classified in the most convenient and practical form. 



For special study, preparatory to a report, the Zoologist has taken 

 up the spiders, of which he has prepared a check list of 470 species 

 (now increased to 489) recorded from the State or immediately 

 surrounding territory. A large amount of material has been col- 

 lected or received through voluntary helpers, and enlarged water- 

 color sketches of fresh specimens have been made by a competent 

 artist, before their colors were affected by the preserving fluids. 



The sketches and notes made by Dr Paulmier for a monograph of 

 the myriapods are being treasured tuitil an opportunity offers for 

 the completion of his work. The large collection of specimens of 

 this difficult group has also been assembled preparatory to study. 



A check list of the echinoderms of the State and adjacent waters 

 is being drawn up, as these forms have been neglected in tne State 

 publications and an illustrated report upon them is desirable. 



Among matters of general interest may be mentioned the unusual 

 abundance of the huge polyzoan. Pectin atella magnifica, 

 in some of our streams this fall. As this raises important questions 

 of its sanitary effect on drinking water and ice, it is hoped to in- 

 vestigate these growths in the field another year. 



A driven well at Olean has furnished specimens of the blind cave 

 shrimp, Crangonyx tenuis, apparently from a gravel 

 stratum between 20 and 30 feet underground. The species has been 

 previously obtained from Howe's cave. 



Other unusual records are a " black woodchuck " from Fayette- 

 ville agreeing exactly with De Kay's description [N. Y. State Nat. 

 Hist., Mammals, p. 69, '* No. 2 "] and from a point near De Kay's 

 locality ; a Florida " chameleon " captured alive in an Albany ex- 

 press office ; and a southern spider, Heteropoda venatoria, 

 also caught in Albany. 



VI 



REPORT ON THE ARCHEOLOGY SECTION 



Field work in archeology for the season of 1906 began on May i. 

 A month's time was expended in making preliminary examinations 

 of various sites of prehistoric and recent aboriginal occupation in 

 the counties of Ontario, Livingston, Monroe, Genesee, Erie, Cat- 

 taraugus and Chautauqua. With the exception of the region west 



