MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



55 



REPORT ON THE FOSSIL INVERTEBRATES. 



By Alpheus Hyatt. 



The Ammonitinae of the Inferior Oolite have been carefully 

 studied and relabelled, to accord with the publications of S. S. 

 Buckman, whose extensive researches on the fossils of this forma- 

 tion in England have made this revision very desirable. 



Researches upon the remarkable and ill understood group of 

 Cretaceous Ammonitinae of the Bucheceratidae have been begun, 

 and are partially completed. During the summer vacation several 

 weeks have been expended upon the revision of the Palaeozoic 

 Cephalopods preparatory to the picking out of sets for exhibition 

 in the Stratigraphic Collection. 



The Department is indebted to R. T. Jackson for selecting ma- 

 terials for exhibition in the Stratigraphic Collection from the fossil 

 Sponges, Hydroids and Corals. The collection of Crinoids lias 

 been consulted by Mr. Frank Springer. A paper " On the Valid- 

 ity of the Family Bohemillidae Barrande," Am. Geol., Vol. XVII. 

 pp. 360-362, 1896, has been published by Prof. C. E. Beecher of 

 Yale University, based on the materials studied last year by him. 



Forty-seven Palaeozoic Starfishes have been loaned to Mr. Charles 

 Schuchert of the National Museum for study. 



Four specimens of Palaeozoic Echini have been received from 

 Dr. R. T. Jackson. 



A small but valuable collection of Silurian Sponges and some 

 Tertiary Fossils from Texas have been purchased from Henry A. 

 Ward, of Rochester. 



A small collection of Tertiary Corbiculidae have been trans- 

 ferred to this Department from the Temple Prime Collection. 



The following papers have been published : — 



" Lost Characteristics," by Alpheus Hyatt. American Naturalist, Janu- 

 ary, 1896, pp. 9-17. 



"The Meaning of Metamorphosis," by the same. Natural Science, 

 Vol. VIII. No 52, June, 1896, pp. 395-403. 



