1875.] 



SENATE— No. 75. 



•19 



logiied. It has taken much time and no little labor to attach 

 numbers or labels to each of the majority of examples in these 

 collections ; but by so doing time will be saved, confusion 

 avoided, and the value of the representations increased here- 

 after. Batrachians and reptiles together occupy forty-three 

 of the larger cans, twenty-nine of the smaller, and a very 

 large number of jars. 



The alcohol was changed ; as catalogued, the specimens were 

 removed from the jars to the cans ; by far the greater portion 

 in excellent condition. 



There is much material for exchanges. 



Report on the Fishes, by Richard Bliss, Jr. 



During the present year all the specimens in glass jars, 

 with the exception of those needed for immediate work, have 

 been removed from the cellar, workroom and old exhibition- 

 rooms to the storeroom in the second story, where they have 

 been arranged by families, as far as possible, on temporary 

 shelves. 



An examination of the specimens placed in copper cans a 

 year ago, gives the most gratifying results, as by this method 

 the loss of alcohol from evaporation is entirely prevented. 



One of the cases in the gallery of the large exhibition-room 

 has been filled with specimens pertaining to the systematic 

 collection. As soon as possible, the other cases in the gallery 

 will be occupied by the fossil, faunal and the rest of the sys- 

 tematic collections. 



The work of identifjdng and cataloguing the large collec- 

 tion of Mauritian fishes is nearly completed. This collection 

 now embraces upwards of two hundred and seventy-five spe- 

 cies in alcohol, and many stufied skins. 



Dr. Klunzinger's collection, embracing one hundred and 

 sixty species from the Red Sea, has been catalogued and 

 prepared for exhibition. 



The following additions have been made to this depart- 

 ment during the year : — 



