1 4 Report of the President. 



Dr. Hay, of the Department of Vertebrate Palaeontology, 

 has worked over all the fossils, fishes and fish remains of the 

 chronological collection. These will be included in a catalogue 

 of fossil fish which he is compiling for publication. He has 

 found many new and unidentified forms among the Syrian fish, 

 upon which he is preparing an article. The palaeontological 

 department has received many valuable accessions by purchase, 

 and one donation is worthy of special note, that is, eight speci- 

 mens of Cambrian Trilobite from Professor George H. Perking 

 of the University of Vermont. 



The Department is also under obligations to Dr. Bashfprd 

 Dean for his supervision of work on the restoration of 

 Dinichthys. 



Two articles were published by the Curator, one on a new 

 form of marine Algae, fossil in the Niagara shale, and one on 

 a new Trilobite from the Marcellus shale, the latter credited 

 to Professor C. H. Hitchcock, who subsequently presented the 

 specimen to the Museum. 



At the arrival of the news of the disaster in Martinique, Dr. 

 Hovey, the Associate Curator of the Department, was imme- 

 diately detailed by the President to investigate the causes of 

 the eruptions, and in May, 1902, he sailed from New York 

 on his first expedition to Martinique and St. Vincent. His 

 efficient field work, quick inductions and prompt publication 

 have not only placed the name of the Museum among the 

 leading contributors to seismology, but his rational treatment 

 of volcanic phenomena in general, and the eruptions of Mt. 

 Pele in particular, have received most favorable _ notice 

 throughout the scientific press. The results of his investiga- 

 tions have been set forth in his paper, which has already 

 appeared in the Bulletin. 



Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology. — The 

 Curator reports that the additions to the collections of 

 mammals have exceeded in number and importance those 

 of any previous year; 2,121 specimens have been added to 

 the series of mammals. The specimens purchased consist 

 mainly of a collection, made for the Museum by Mr. J. H. 



