Report of the Assistant Zoologist. 



Dr. F. J. H. Merrill, Director Neio Ywk State Museum : 



Dear Sir.— I respectfully submit the following report, of the 

 work of the Zoological Department of the New York fetate 

 Museum, for the period beginning October 1, 1893, and ending 

 June 30, 1894. 



In December the mammals which had been exhibited at the 

 World's Fair were returned to the Museum and placed in their 

 proper places on the upper floor of the building. They were 

 apparently in as good condition as when they were sent to 

 Chicago. 



The collection of New York land and fresh-water shells exhib- 

 ited at Chicago were returned at the same time. The collection 

 has since been arranged in the table-case at the west end of the 

 floor devoted to z ology, and as it now stands it is an exact 

 reproduction of the Chicago exhibit, in everything except the 

 cases. 



In order to accommodate the collection it was necessary to 

 place the specimens formerly exhibited in the table-case in the 

 drawers underneath. 



The rearrangement of the conchological collections, which was 

 begun in 1891, has been continued. During the period covered 

 by this report I have reidentified, labeled and placed on exhibi- 

 tion several thousand specimens of the Gould, Smithsonian and 

 other collections. 



In June I made a careful examination of the alcoholic collec- 

 tion, and in needful cases renewed the strength of the alcohol. 

 The specimens are now secure against decay and will need no 

 further attention for several years. 



During the } ear I have completed a bulletin on the geograph- 

 ical distribution of the species of Unionidae inhabiting New York, 

 and the manuscript has been placed in your hands for publication. 

 If funds are not available to publish it as a bulletin I recommend 



