DEPARTMENT OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 225 



of crustaceans, annelids, echinoderms, actinians, and sponges, from the 

 Azores, Cape Yerde Islands, Ascension Island, St. Helena,, Barbados, 

 and the west coast of Africa. From the Bureau of Navigation, Navy 

 Department, 25 specimens of deep sea soundings taken in the North 

 Atlantic Ocean by the U. S. S. Dolphin, Commander George F. F. 

 Wilde, U. S. Navy, commanding, during the passage from the Straits 

 of Gibraltar to New York. From Prof. O. B. Johnson, University of 

 Washington, Seattle, Washington, a miscellaneous assortment of crus- 

 taceans, tunicates, echinoderms, and pennatulse, from Puget Sound. 

 From Mr. Bomyn Hitchcock and Mr. H. Loomis, collections of crusta- 

 ceans, echinoderms, corals, and sponges, obtained in Japan. 



In view of the proposed repairs to the west hall of the Smithsonian 

 institution, it has been considered inexpedient to make any extensive 

 changes in the exhibition collection of marine invertebrates which is 

 there displayed. Plans have been partly perfected, however, for the 

 formation of a synoptical collection, and the enlargement and rearrange- 

 ment of the present general one. In anticipation of these additions, 

 Mr. Benedict has begun the preparation of a series of dried crusta- 

 ceans. He has also made many microscopical mountings of crustacean 

 appendages for study purposes. 



Eight additional mahogany unit cases have been placed in the west 

 hall, affording much desired space for the storage of dried echinoderms 

 and corals. Four of the old style table cases have also been transferred 

 to the gallery in the main hall, where they are used for holding the dried 

 collection of crabs and many of the duplicate specimens. The unit trays 

 stacked in the same gallery have all been furnished with metal label- 

 holders, which have proved a great convenience. The arrangement of 

 a type series of alcoholic specimens in the small west basement room, 

 for convenience in identifying collections as they are received, has been 

 continued, the groups now represented there being the brachyurans, 

 echini, and ophiurans. The card-catalogues of those groups have also 

 been brought down to date. This readjustment of the collections was 

 rendered expedient on accouut of the imperfect lighting of the general 

 alcoholic storeroom. 



The alcoholic collection of alcyonarians and actinians, and the entire 

 collection of brachyurans and auomourans have been carefully gone 

 over, the jars cleaned, the alcohol aud labels replaced where necessary, 

 and the card catalogue of the same revised and completed. In the 

 overhauling it was found that the dried crustaceans had suffered some- 

 what from the attacks of insects. This collection was, therefore, thor- 

 oughly renovated and newly poisoned, but as none of our storage cases 

 are provided with the proper safeguards against these pests, it is im- 

 possible to prevent injury of this character from time to time. The 

 assorting of Mr. William H. Dall's Alaskan collection, some parts of 

 which received attention in previous years, has been entirely finished, 

 and all of the brachyuran crustaceans in the Department have also been 

 H. Mis. 129, pt. 2 15 



