MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 37 



REPORT ON OSTEOLOGY. 



By Daniel Denison Slade. 



During the past year no progress lias been made in additions to 

 the osteological collections. They remain in essentially the same 

 condition as at the last report, owing to the lack of means for the 

 maintenance and and increase of the valuable material. 



The plan proposed two years ago of making the course of Com- 

 parative Osteology one of research, thereby offering the highest 

 usefulness of the Museum to those who wished to pursue original 

 investigations, has been pursued during the academic year. A 

 few only have availed themselves of the opportunities thus liber- 

 ally offered, a fact which has satisfactorily proved that there was 

 little or no interest in the work required. In addition to this sin- 

 gular apathy manifested by students who must necessarily appre- 

 ciate and value the knowledge so essential in their zoological 

 studies, it should be stated that during a prolonged illness in the 

 winter months, which prevented my attendance in the department, 

 certain irregularities occurred which has led the Curator of the 

 Museum to pass more strenuous rules, which must hereafter gov- 

 ern both assistants and students in all the collections. For those 

 fitted for the proper pursuit of their work, it is probable that 

 ample opportunities will still be presented in the Osteological 

 Department. 



A paper, " The Significance of the Jugal Arch," originally in- 

 tended for publication in the Museum Bulletin, was read before 

 the American Philosophical Society, March 15, 1895, and pub- 

 lished in their Proceedings, Yol. XXXIV. 



A paper, " Abnormal Attachment of the Atlas to the Base of 

 the Skull," published in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, 

 July, 1895, has been reprinted. 



