94 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



REVIEW AND RESEARCHES. 



A considerable amount of material has been forwarded to Prof. E. D, 

 Cope for study and investigation, and will be treated of in bis forth- 

 coming work on South American reptiles. No papers have been pub- 

 lished by the curator or his assistant on material belonging to the de- 

 partment. 



The tabulated statement here presented shows the extent of the col- 

 lections at the present time: 



Number of specimens received from January 1 to June 30, 1885 134 



Number of specimens in reserve series 8, 92& 



In general series 8,819 



Exhibition series (selected for), 750 



Not classified and exotic specimens, probably > 5,000 



Total , 23,629 



Number of entries in Museum catalogue from January 1 to June 30, 1885... 82 



Last number in catalogue for 1884 , 14,066 



Last catalogue number in June, 1885 14,148 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The curator respectfully reiterates his recommendations of previous 

 years with regard to the great necessity for more space for the collection , 

 and adds that it appears particularly desirous that the reptile speci- 

 mens, which are mostly alcoholic, should be preserved in a separate 

 fire-proof building. 



