7 



Worms, in charge of Dr. Mark, has been limited to the necessary 

 care of the specimens and to short studies of some of the par- 

 asitic worms added to the collections during the past year. As 

 soon as the collections of Annelids sent for identification to 

 Europe have been returned a more detailed report of the collec- 

 tion can be made. 



The most important additions during the past year have been 

 the collection of Palaeozoic Fossils purchased from Messrs. Dyer, 

 Walcott, and Gebhard. The Dyer collection filled no less than 

 200 boxes besides a few large slabs. It has been brought together 

 by Mr. Dyer during the past twenty years, and is an unrivalled 

 collection of Invertebrates mainly from the Cincinnati group. 



The Walcott collection represents mainly the Trenton lime- 

 stone, and is specially rich in Trilobites. The material upon 

 which Mr. C. D. Walcott based his important investigations on 

 the structure of Trilobites forms a part of this collection. 



The Gebhard collection is an important one in the palseontolog- 

 ical history of the State of New York. It is the result of the 

 work of three generations, Mr. Gebhard, from whom the collec- 

 tion was purchased, having materially increased it as he received 

 it from his grandfather through his uncle, both of whom were 

 zealous collectors of the fossils in the vicinity of Schoharie. 



A beginning has also been made to supply our deficiencies of 

 North American Vertebrate Fossils. Mr. Garman spent some 

 time at the west, and brought back an excellent collection of 

 Tertiary Vertebrates, mainly from the Bad-lands. 



To supply our desiderata towards the Faunal collections now 

 preparing of South America, India, and Africa, we have received 

 by purchase a large number of Birds and Mammals, both skins 

 and skeletons. 



The arrangement of the North American Faunal room is prac- 

 tically completed, and I hope during the coming year to open the 

 South American Faunal room to the public. The cases for the 

 systematic collection of Molluscs have been completed, and Mr. 

 Hamlin is now arranging the room for exhibition. 



All the old exhibition-rooms have now been thoroughly repaired, 

 and the appearance of the rooms open to the public has been 

 greatly improved. 



We have received from Mrs. T. M. Brewer the collection of 

 birds' eggs which the late Dr. Brewer bequeathed to the Museum. 



