1872.) 169 [Annual Report. 
cases. By suddenly opening or closing a sash one could 
readily crush in, or burst out, the neighboring glass panes. 
The resistance of the air is so great that it has to be over- 
come by a steady slow pressure as if one was working the 
handle of a piston. 
With the exception of the method of bolting, and some 
other details, this plan is similar to that which has been suc- 
cessfully adopted by the Smithsonian Institution for the 
preservation of their valuable collection of birds, and was 
recommended to us by Prof. Baird. | 
The effort to free the infected skins from the ravages of 
Anthreni has been completely successful. Mr. Arthur Smith 
has repeatedly inspected the entire collection, bird by bird, 
during the winter, without finding a single living Anthrenus, 
and Dr. Brewer and Mr. Alien both confirm his report. The 
condition of some of the specimens when this movement be- 
gan may he judged from the fact that they have been operated 
upon over twenty-five times before a cure was effected. Not- 
withstanding this, however, but very few specimens have been 
absolutely lost, only about half a dozen in all. 
As soon as the birds are removed the Zoological collections 
will be concentrated in the first gallery of the main hall and 
the adjoining rooms. Many of the details of this part of the 
rearrangement of the Museum have been already completed, 
and the work can proceed with considerable rapidity. This 
redistribution will make room for the New England Collec- 
tion, which will occupy the western end of the main gallery 
and the adjoining south-western room. 
Our collection of Sponges has been compared and named, 
as far as possible, with the aid of Oscar Schmidt’s types, 
which the Custodian was permitted to use for this purpose by 
the Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 
. The Conchological Collection is rapidly advancing to a sat- - 
isfactory condition. Dr. P. P. Carpenter’s services were se-_ 
-eured for two months last summer. In this short time, how- 
ever, this indefatigable and experienced Malacologist named 
