24 Report of the President. 



entomological survey of the Black Mountain region, which 

 has been carried on for some years by the Curator, under 

 grants from the late Very Reverend E. A. Hoffman. 



Mr. Samuel Hoffman also kindly provided the funds for the 

 purchase of a collection of 3,600 specimens of North American 

 and exotic moths. 



Messrs. G. A. Goss and A. D. Dodge presented a fine col- 

 lection of beetles from Mt. Kinabalu, British North Borneo. 



Mr. J. Rhinelander donated a unique example of combs of 

 the honey bee [Apis melliferd) built on the branch of a tree. 



A collection of butterflies and moths from Sredne-Kolymsk, 

 Province of Yakutsk, Siberia, and a number of interesting 

 wasps' nests from Brazil have been acquired by purchase. 



Department of Mineralogy and Conchology. — The 

 Bement Collection of Minerals and the Morgan Gem Collec- 

 tion have attracted a very large number of visitors, and have 

 proved of increasing usefulness in extending interest in the 

 mineral products of the United States. Extensive changes in 

 the installment of the Gems have been planned, and the ensu- 

 ing year will see a general expansion in respect to their posi- 

 tion and arrangement, which is expected to improve the 

 appearance of this popular feature of the department. 



A munificent gift from Mrs. Matilda W. Bruce has been 

 received, in the form of an endowment of the Department of 

 Mineralogy. It is an invested sum of $10,000, the interest 

 of which is to be devoted to the purchase of mineralogical 

 specimens, except in so far as its use in the purchase of geo- 

 logical exhibits seems desirable. 



The minerals demand more room, and projects contem- 

 plating a more complete exhibition of all the material com- 

 posing this important collection will shortly be realized. It is- 

 to be hoped that in the development of the Museum, Economic 

 Mineralogy will receive consideration, and that the remarkable 

 mineral resources of the country, with at least a partial dem- 

 onstration of their uses and treatment, will form part of the 

 exhibits in the Museum halls. Additions by purchase and 

 gifts are recorded in the List of Accessions. 



