60 MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. [Feb. 



In order to give precision to every part of the work in the Museum, 

 it has been so divided that while the students receive general instruc- 

 tion in all the branches of Zoology, every individual temporarily con- 

 nected with the institution is intrusted with the care of some special 

 department, in which he may acquire the most minute information, 

 frequently exceeding that which I may have myself, while I constantly 

 superintend all the operations in such a manner as to lead to a gen- 

 eral, systematic result. The Vertebrates have been put in order by Mr. 

 Putnam, Mr. Verrill, and Mr. Foley ; the Articulates by Mr. Scudder, 

 Mr. Ordway, and my son, A. Agassiz ; the Mollusks by Mr. Hyatt, Mr. 

 Morse, and Mr. Shaler ; the Radiates by Mr. Lyman, Mr. Verrill, and 

 my son ; while Mr. Clark has taken care of the embryological prepara- 

 tions. Mr. Hansen has been employed in the work, labelling and 

 hunting up the references for labelling ; Mr. Gugenheim has been 

 chiefly engaged in making skeletons, and for a few months past I 

 have obtained the assistance of Mr. Bartlett in the arrangement of 

 our land and fresh-water shells. There are three new-comers in the 

 establishment who have not yet taken a definite part in the arrange- 

 ment of the collection. Although only a part of their work is thus 

 far on exhibition, I have derived essential assistance for the future 

 improvement of the Museum from the untiring and faithful exertions 

 of Mr. Glen in making minute preparations lo illustrate the structure 

 of the hard parts of animals, and from the skill with which Mr. Burk- 

 hardt is preparing diagrams for the illustration of those soft parts 

 which cannot be satisfactorily preserved for exhibition. 



I may add also that my son is intrusted with the care and distribu- 

 tion of the specimens received and with the superintendence of the 

 current business. 



And now, gentlemen, let me state that, unless this corps of workers, 

 which consists, with the exception of one or two volunteers, of young 

 men who have to work for their daily bread, can be retained in their 

 present connection with the Museum, our establishment must neces- 

 sarily come to a stand-still, and yet you are aware that at our last 

 business meeting, it was ascertained that there are no means on hand 

 to meet these exigencies. For the present, three of our young men 

 are provided for by the liberality of a member of this board, and a 

 salary for the agent of the Museum has been secured by another 



