debted for voluntary work and other valuable assistance. To 

 Carlile P. Patterson, the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, the 

 Museum owes the maps accompanying my report of operations 

 on the " Blake." 



Beside the distribution of the " Blake " collections among 

 specialists for final investigation, collections from the Entomo- 

 logical, Conchological, and Ornithological Departments have as 

 usual been sent to well-known investigators, for examination. 

 Important material has also been forwarded for study to Dr. W. 

 K. Parker, to Professor Schiodte, and to Mr. F. M. Balfour. 



The usual exchanges have been continued with our corre- 

 spondents ; details concerning them will be found in the special 

 Reports of the Assistants of the Museum. 



Collections for purposes of instruction have been sent to Bethel 

 College, Kentucky, to the Boston Society of Natural History, 

 and to the Taunton High School. 



The number of visitors to the Museum is constantly increasing. 

 This is undoubtedly due to the fact that the Museum is always 

 open, the admission not being limited to appointed days alone. As 

 we can give but a comparatively small exhibit of our Entomologi- 

 cal collections, the work-rooms of the Entomological Department 

 are open on special occasions ; they have been visited by a num- 

 ber of specialists, and by classes desirous of seeing the Biological 

 collections ; Dr. Hagen has made great progress in their arrange- 

 ment during the past year. 



The instruction at the Museum has been in charge of Professors 

 J. D. Whitney, Shaler, Dr. James, Dr. Faxon, Dr. Mark, and 

 Messrs. Davis and Wadsworth. The special students have re- 

 ceived the customary facilities for work in the different Labora- 

 tories. 



The Sturgis-Hooper Professor of Geology, Mr. J. D. Whitney, 

 has devoted the greater part of his time to the publication of 

 the first part of the " Auriferous Gravels of California." Of this 

 he has defrayed the principal cost, in addition to supplying 

 the means, as in former years, not only for many incidental 

 expenses, but also for the additional instruction in Lithology, 

 given in the Department, under his supervision, by Mr. M. E. 

 Wadsworth. 



Professor N. S. Shaler has given an elementary course in 

 Geology, consisting of lectures, and laboratory and field work ; the 



