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REPORT ON PALAEONTOLOGY. 



By Alpheus Hyatt. 



Since the first of May, when the palaBontological collections of 

 Invertebrates were placed under my charge, the following work 

 has been done. A general review of the collections was made, 

 and their existing condition ascertained. This process, owing to 

 their extent, and to the fact that several of them remain still un- 

 arranged or in their original wrappers, occupied considerable time. 

 A plan of rearrangement for the whole collection has been de- 

 cided upon, and a system of labels devised for the trays, with the 

 aid of Mr. Robert T. Jackson. 



With the assistance of the same gentleman the Taylor and Day 

 collections have been rearranged, and are ready for distribution ; 

 the Dyer and the Walcott collections are also nearly ready for dis- 

 tribution. About one third of the Senary collection has been un- 

 packed. This is of such size that two persons, though occupied 

 constantly, could barely have accomplished the work in three 

 months with due care for the safety of the labels and often 

 delicate and unique specimens. The exquisite preservation and 

 number of the specimens and the costly preparations make this 

 collection by far the most perfect of its kind I have ever seen. 



A collection for the use of students and another of specimens 

 particularly well adapted for exhibition have been begun. The fos- 

 sil Protozoa, Hydrozoa, and Corals have been brought together, and 

 placed in the room destined for their reception. The fossil plants 

 still remaining in the Day, Dyer, and other collections, which had 

 not been already laid aside by my predecessor, the late Professor 

 Hamlin, have been brought together, and the trays appropriately 

 labelled. 



