[Annual Meeting. 364 [May 4, 



has also added to this collection one hundred fine specimens mostly 

 from Hingham. 



Considerable work in the poisoning of the dried plants has been 

 done. Twenty specimens of rare species of lichens have been re- 

 ceived from Prof. Johann Mueller of Geneva, and the plates of 

 Victoria Regia for use in the exhibition collection from Mr. James 

 Sharp of Dorchester. The number of persons applying for per- 

 mission to use this department continues to increase, and indicates 

 that the interest in the study of Botany is increasing. 



Comparative Anatomy. 



About twenty-five specimens and preparations, procured and 

 made by Mr. Henshaw, have been added to this department, as well 

 as a skeleton of Cynocephalus porcarius, prepared and presented by 

 Mr. Holmes Hinkley. 



Sponges. 



Miss Martin has made a large and valuable series of microscop- 

 ical preparations of the skeletons of the Keratosa for the purpose 

 of deciding of what value the size of the threads may be in the 

 determination of species, a matter of importance to all special 

 students of this group in which the species are extremely difficult 

 to define. The study of the Keratosa of Bermuda was finished 

 early in the year and the collections have been returned to the 

 National Museum. 



Mollusca. 



Good progress has been made by Mr. Henshaw, assisted by 

 Miss Martin, in working over the miscellaneous materials stored 

 in this department. Over 1700 lots of univalves have been sorted 

 out, partially identified and arranged. The enlargement of the 

 exhibition collection has been completed so far as the Gastero- 

 poda, Pteropoda and Cephalopoda are concerned, and it now 



