30 ANNUAL REPOKT OF THE 



KEPOET ON THE DEPARTMENT OF VEETEBEATE 



PALEONTOLOGY. 



Br Charles R. Eastman. 



Since returning from abroad in December, 1903, the time of 

 the Assistant has been devoted principally to the investigation of 

 newly acquired material, and to the general care of the collection, 

 including the selection and cataloguing of an appropriate series 

 of Mesozoic and Tertiary vertebrates to be placed on exhibition. 

 The novel manner of displaying slabs containing fossil fishes, 

 which owes its inception to Dr. Woodworth, marks a distinct 

 improvement in installation methods as usually applied to this 

 class of vertebrate remains. Our present poverty in fossil mam- 

 mals has made it necessary to introduce an undesirable abun- 

 dance of plaster casts ; but these may be expected to become 

 replaced by original specimens as rapidly as possible. Acces- 

 sions of unusual value have been made to the collection of 

 fossil fishes during the year, as will be apparent from the partial 

 list given below. 



Additions to the Collection during the Year. 



1903. Krantz Collection. An important suite of excellently pre- 

 served Eocene fishes from Monte Bolca, near Verona, Italy, con- 

 taining several types and figured specimens. Purchased. Received 

 December 24. 



1904. An historic specimen from the same locality as the above, 

 formerly belonging to the Gazola Collection of the Paris Museum, sub- 

 sequently obtained by Professor J. E. Wolff, and presented to the 

 Museum by Professor R. T. Jackson. Received March 17. 



1904. Casts of finery preserved specimens of Semionotus agassizii 

 from the Connecticut Valley Trias, received in exchange with the 

 American Museum of Natural History. 



