Annual Meeting.] 284 [May 2, 
mens New Eiigl.'uul Alg;u' ; Mr. G. II. Mucka^^, 1 specitneii lor 
New Englaiul collection. 
Twenty-six ])ersons have been allowed the use of the herba- 
rium, and very much more time devoted to this work than in 
any previous year ; ])robably an entire month of the assistant's 
time has been devoted to this purpose. 
Synoptic Collection. 
The Society is indebted to Miss J. M. Arms for the large 
amount of unpaid work which has been done by her upon this 
collection. This is of essential importance to the progress of 
the Museum, the synoptic collection being the key to all other 
organic collections. 
The text of the guide to Porifera has been enlarge<l by Miss 
Arms, and 12 plates with 78 figures, illustrating the structure 
and development of sponges, have been completed by Miss 
Martin, and are ready for the cases. Specimens of Corynoides 
(accompanied by an enlarged drawing of the same), Mono- 
graptus, and Diplograptus have been added to the Ilydrozoa. 
From SO to 100 manuscript pages of text have been prepared 
on the Actinozoa and Echinodermata. The Actinozoa have 
received a fine alcoholic specimen of Metridium marginatum from 
Mr. Alfred Goldsborough Mayer. 
Two plates illustrating the growth of coral, a drawing of the 
parasite, Bicidium, and a plate of thirty-six drawings giving the 
development of Ivenilla have also been completed by Miss 
Martin. 
Specimens of crinoids have been selected to illustrate the 
classification adopted. An alcoholic specimen of Pecten has 
been added to the lamellibranchs, and specimens of the ^ea- 
hevmit, Petuchints granulatus Stm., and its parasite, Porcellana 
ocellata (from Miss J. M. Arms) to the Crustacea. 
The remainder of the Assistant's time has been spent un mol- 
lusks, chiefly on cephalopods. 
Paleontology. 
The Society is under obligations to Miss Hetty O. Ballard 
for having acted as voluntary assistant during the past year. 
Revised labels for specimens to be retained on exhibition have 
