1865.] SENATE— No. 96. 9 



The progress in the internal arrangement of the collections 

 has been fostered by the cooperation of a number of assistants 

 and students. Mr. Alex. Agassiz has had charge of the 

 general distribution of the specimens received, with a view 

 to referring everything for safe keeping and special identifica- 

 tion to the assistants in charge of particular classes or families 

 of animals. Mr. Anthony has given his undivided attention to 

 the Mollusks, and during the past year has especially devoted 

 himself to the identification and final arrangement of the land 

 and fresh water shells, all of which are now ready for exhibi- 

 tion. Mr. Glen has been intrusted with the Ethnographical 

 collections, besides his special department consisting of the 

 microscopic preparations, illustrative chiefly of the structure 

 of the solid parts of animals, a large number of which have 

 been added to the already extensive series put up in former 

 years. Mr. Uhler has revised the entire collection of insects, 

 and placed it beyond the chances of injury or decay. This 

 important and laborious undertaking has for the first time 

 displayed the great value and unexpected importance of our 

 Entomological collections, which had necessarily been allowed 

 to accumulate without very special attention being paid to 

 their contents. Besides this, Mr. Uhler has had charge of 

 the library. Mr. Hyat has, at intervals, resumed his work 

 upon the fossil Cephalopods, and promises to complete it as 

 soon as possible. He has also made good progress in the 

 catalogue of these remains. Mr. Shaler's return to the 

 Museum, and his closer connection with our new organization, 

 has already been highly beneficial to our collection of fossils. 

 He has lately been intrusted with the general care of the 

 entire department of Palaeontology, and so far proceeded with 

 the identification and classification of the Brachiopods, as to 

 be able to make a special report upon that order, which is 

 appended to this. Mr. Niles is progressing successfully with 

 his investigation and study of the Crinoids, with a view to the 

 publication of a catalogue of that order of the Radiates, the 

 completion of which has been intrusted to him. In the 

 preparation of this work I have aimed at introducing a 

 nomenclature which shall be more in accordance with 

 that used in describing other Echinoderms than is gener- 

 2 



