208 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



PRESENT STATE OF MUSEUM COLLECTIONS* 



When the writer took charge of the collection of the Paleozoic inver- 

 tebrate fossils, in the winter of 1883-'84, it was in seven table cases, and 

 entirely without classification or arrangement. The first work was to 

 remove the dust and dirt from a considerable portion of the collection 

 that had not been cleaned, and then make a rough separation so as to 

 group the specimens in their proper geological horizons — Cambrian, 

 Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous, and into their zoologic groups 

 within those horizons. This was done, and also all the accessions re- 

 corded and numbered that had been accumulating for a number of 

 years. The old collections were then left for future study as each geo- 

 logic fauna was taken up by the writer in connection with his work as 

 paleontologist in charge of the Paleozoic paleontology of the IT. S. Geo- 

 logical Survey. 



As will be noticed under the head of accessions, large additions have 

 been made to the collection, principally from the Geological Survey. 

 This material is recorded, labeled, and can readily be placed on ex- 

 hibition or referred to at once by students or other persons wishing to 

 see it. 



The collection is arranged in thirteen standard cases and in the lab- 

 oratory storage cases, and is considered as a working collection not yet 

 prepared for exhibition. When exhibition space is assigned and an 

 assistant detailed to aid in the work an exhibition series of typical forms 

 can soon be arranged. The total number of specimens is estimated to 

 be about 73,000. This includes the Smithsonian collections, those of 

 the various Government surveys up to the date of the organization of 

 the present Survey, and the accessions recorded up to the present date, 

 December 31, 1884. 



In the following table is given the number of specimens in the Mu- 

 seum obtained from the great geologic groups. The figures represent 

 the number of specimens of rock, not the number of fossils, as many 

 blocks contain from two to fifty specimens of fossils each. 



Statement showing the number of invertebrate Paleozoic fossils in the National Museum col- 

 lections December 31, 1884. 



Formation. 



Office. 



Court. 



Total. 





10,848 

 2, 499 

 4,504 

 5,657 

 1,892 





10, 848 

 12, 418 



i.'!, 548 



38, 088 

 1 892 





9,919 



9,044 



28, 031 











255 



25S 









Total 



25, 400 



47, 249 



72 049 







Owing to the writer being engaged in field work during several months 

 of the year, and the demands made by duties connected with the Geo- 



