1913.] 
NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 
703 
So far as studied, these collections show that the fossil faunas of the 
several islands are much more closely related to one another than are 
the living faunas. The theory that the islands are portions of a 
former large land-area, now dismembered by subsidence, is therefore, 
emphatically supported by the new data obtained. Collections 
were made on Oahu, Molokai, Hawaii, and the uninhabited island 
Kahoolawe. The success of the expedition was largely due to the 
generous hospitality of the Bishop Pauahi Museum, Doctor C. 
Montague Cooke, Mr. George Cooke, Mr. Irwin Spalding, Mr. D. 
Thaanum, and others, who in many ways assisted the investigatioii. 
The time of the Special Curator since his return has been largely 
occupied with work on material brought back and with the current 
work of the department. Papers have been published on Lower 
Californian Helices and various other topics and Mr. Vanatta pub¬ 
lished upon new marine mollusks. 
With the assistance of Dr. A. P. Brown, who devoted considerable 
time to the work, progress has been made in the arrangement of the 
invertebrate fossils. Dr. Brown has presented to the Academy a 
collection of Oligocene fossils which he made in Antigua and de¬ 
scribed in the Proceedings of the Academy. 
Miss Winchester, artist of the department, has continued her 
work throughout the year. Mr. Vanatta was assigned to work in 
the Entomological Department on April 1st, but since December 1st 
has returned to the Department of Mollusca. The Curator has 
also had the assistance of Miss Ziegler, who has spent five months 
in assorting minute shells from the Hawaiian Islands. 
H. A. PlLSBRY, 
Special Curator. 
Report of Curator of William S. Vaux Collections. 
During the past year, the collection of minerals was removed to 
its new quarters in what was formerly the Library Hall, and during 
the past few months, with the assistance of Mr. S. G. Gordon, rapid 
progress has been made on the cataloguing and numbering of the 
mineral specimens. 
Twenty-two specimens have been added to the collection during 
the year, in the selection of which, the established precedent of 
securing quality rather than quantity has been adhered to. The 
most important accessions include a suite of aerolites from Hol¬ 
brook, Ariz.; tantalum, Altai Mountains; andorite, Oruro; enargite, 
