104 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



during the year, and comprise the most satisfactory series ever received 

 by the curator from any collector in the field. They include many nov- 

 elties, and are a most important contribution toward a better knowl- 

 edge of the fauna of the Floridian region, which they show to be more 

 and more closely connected with the Autillean fauna. 



Interesting Arctic shells have been received from Mr. Lucien M. Tur- 

 ner and Ensign H. J. Dresel; Prof. A. G. Wetherby and Mr. K. Ells- 

 worth Call have contributed some acceptable material to the land and 

 fresh-water series. 



NEW ORLEANS EXHIBIT. 



The preparation of material for the New Orleans Exposition, which 

 absorbed several mouths' time prior to January 1, was completed under 

 the supervision of Dr. P. E. C. Stearns, adjunct curator, so that the 

 boxes containing the same and the cases required for exhibiting the 

 specimens reached their destination and were ready for arrangement 

 early in January. About the middle of the month Dr. Stearns pro- 

 ceeded to New Orleans, and remained there until the specimens were 

 put in their places and ready for exhibition. The exhibit in this de- 

 partment of natural history probably surpassed in extent and general 

 excellence any previously made at the great expositions. It was ar- 

 ranged in twenty-one flat table cases, equivalent to a floor area of not 

 less than 400 square feet, the specimens being placed in trays inside of 

 the cases and each of the trays fully labeled. 



The general system followed was a geographical one and presented 

 a characteristic representation of the more conspicuous and interesting 

 forms of the various zoo-geographical provinces. 



The exhibit included several cases of the fresh-water mussels ( Unto- 

 nidec) of the Mississippi drainage area, remarkable for the great number 

 and beauty of these shells, also the rare and peculiar forms belonging 

 to this group from other parts of the world. The land and pond snails 

 of the Mississippi basin were each represented by a separate case. 



The marine shells of the Atlantic coast of America from the Arctic 

 Sea to the Caribbean, and the sea shells of the Pacific coast from Be- 

 ring Sea to Panama, including the principal species inhabiting the tidal 

 areas of Puget Sound, in the north, and the Gulf of California, to the 

 south, were similarly displayed. 



Other cases contained selected specimens from the Indo-Pacific region 

 such as live in the great coral areas of the warm seas between Western 

 America and Eastern Asia. 



Four cases were devoted to the edible mollusca of the United States. 

 Two of these contained the clams, cockles, &c, of the Atlantic seaboard, 

 and two those of the shores of Western America from Alaska to San 

 Diego. 



The systematic and critical selection of the foregoing involved a great 



