HYATT : REPORT OF THE CURATOR. 
9 
During the summer the Curator succeeded in obtaining a rare 
species of whale, 3Ieso}rtodon bidens , noticed at the meeting of 
November 2, 1898. The bones of this specimen are now being 
prepared for the collection. 
Laboratory. 
The room in our basement has been this year used as in previous 
years by the classes of the Boston university and Teachers’ school 
of science. A number of new diagrams have been made for use 
in the laboratory and the specimens have been looked after by the 
Curator and Miss Martin. » 
Remarks. 
A much larger amount of work upon the collections not reported 
upon above has been done this year than usual, especial efforts 
having been made to bring into order and work up our miscella¬ 
neous alcoholic and dry materials. It should also be noted here 
that these annual reports take no notice whatever of this sort of 
work nor of similar work upon the various collections, such as the 
general inspection and repair of dried specimens, the poisoning of 
the same twice in each year, the inspection of alcoholic specimens 
and the refilling of bottles once in each year, the reception and 
preparation of specimens, and other items of daily routine. 
The Museum has been visited during private days by 340 pupils 
and teachers, representing 12 schools, all of whom have as heretofore 
been admitted without charge. It should also be noted here that 
this year as in previous years several artists have been allowed to 
draught specimens or study them in the Museum on closed days 
free of charge. 
Teachers’ School of Science. 
Mr. Grabau has continued his excursions and lectures upon zool¬ 
ogy. The Saturday field courses have been regularly carried on. 
Four excursions were made in May and June, 1898, in addition to 
those reported upon in the last annual report. These took in the 
more important localities on our coast and the fresli-water ponds of 
West Cambridge. A three days’ excursion to Wood’s IJoll was 
