HYATT: REPORT OF THE CURATOR. 
the Society and of great educational value, but also stand the test 
of close and critical comparison with facts in the field.” 
That this hope is not too highly aimed is shown by the fact, that 
it is even now in large part realized. This can be demonstrated by 
the accumulated collections and maps, by the willingness of able 
observers to cooperate in the laboratory and in the field, and also 
by a published opinion emanating from .the highest authority. The 
Hon. C. D. Walcott, Director of the U. S. geological survey and 
the leading investigator of Cambrian rocks, wrote in 1871 of Pro¬ 
fessor Crosby’s work in his Correlation of the Cambrian, Bull. U. S. 
geol. surv., no. 81, p. 268, as follows: “ The description of the Cam¬ 
brian rocks of the Boston Basin by Professor W. O. Crosby is the 
most recent and the most thorough of any we have, and the sum¬ 
mary of our present knowledge of them is taken mainly from his 
paper.” 
Synoptic Zoology. 
Mrs. J. M. Arms Sheldon has contributed by the purchase of 
suitable specimens for this department, having drawings framed, 
etc., at her own expense, as well as by the donation of far more 
personal work than the time called for by the duties of her position 
as assistant in the Museum. 
She spent considerable time in the spring and summer in making 
the whole collection more presentable and in placing on exhibition 
most of the fine specimens and drawings that have been slowly accu¬ 
mulating during several years past, so that the larger part of the 
Invertebrata now present a far better aspect than at the beginning 
of the present official year. About 814 specimens and 61 plates 
containing 266 figures were added to the collection, 172 of which 
were mounted by Mrs. Sheldon. 
The worms have been completed, 67 drawings having been 
selected and arranged in plates, 12 tablets of mounted specimens 
added to this section of the collection, and about 95 pages of manu¬ 
script written. Considerable work has also been done upon the 
Brachiopoda and Pelecypoda, and upon the arrangement of Tuni- 
cata. Eighty specimens mostly Brachiopoda have been mounted 
and placed on exhibition; also eight genera of Tunicata and two 
of Cephalopoda. Considerable additions have also been made to 
the text of the Guide in the Actinozoa and Brachiopoda and some- 
