38 Report of the President 



fish, the gift of Mr. George McKesson Brown. Other prepara- 

 tions, including a model of the Japanese frilled shark, 

 Chlamydoselachns, and of a tunny are under way and not 

 far from completion. 



The identification and cataloguing of recent fishes has 

 made very satisfactory progress and work on the study collec- 

 tions has steadily progressed. 



Mr. Nichols has prepared a list of the species of fishes 

 occurring within fifty miles of New York City. This will 

 undoubtedly be of great help in the work of the department in 

 selecting recent fishes to be introduced into the exhibition, 

 and will be invaluable when it becomes possible to have an 

 especial "local" collection. 



The unidentified "lantern fishes" in the Museum's collec- 

 tion have been worked up by Professor Charles H. Gilbert of 

 Stanford University, but are not yet published. 



Mr. Nichols has now in hand a collection of mackerel-like 

 fish from Java which he is identifying for the United States 

 National Museum. 



Fossil Fishes. — By the aid of the Dodge Fund, the 

 Museum acquired a valuable collection of the primitive fossil 

 fishes, known as Arthrodira, which was brought together in the 

 course of a number of years by Mr. Peter A. Bungart, of 

 Lorain, Ohio. The collection comprises sixty pieces, includ- 

 ing several unique specimens of great scientific value. 



Dr. Hussakof has devoted a considerable portion of his time 

 during the past year to cataloguing, revising and rearranging 

 the study collection of fossil fishes. 



The fishes of the Permian Period and the Silver Sharks 

 (Ch'mceroids) of the Chalk Period, in the Cope collection, have 

 been restudied and the results embodied in two scientific 

 papers, one of which is in press and the other nearly ready for 

 publication. 



The fossil fish exhibit has been improved by the addition of 

 several specimens, including a cast of a remarkable " Placo- 

 derm" from the Old Red Sandstone of Scotland, JTomosteus 

 millerij and its popular interest has been enhanced by the 

 addition of maps and labels. An exhibit to illustrate the 



