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THE NORTHWEST CORNER.

MUSEUM BUILDING SEEN FACING

ANNUAL REPORT

OF

THE CURATOR

OF THE

MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY

AT HARVARD COLLEGE,
TO THE

PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE,

FOR

1879-80.

CAMBRIDGE:
UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON AND SON.

1880.

REPORT.

To THE PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS oF HARVARD COLLEGE : —

It is now twenty years since the foundation of the Museum.
During that time the Museum building has more than trebled in
size, and its collections are unsurpassed in some departments.
Thanks to the active co-operation of the assistants, the large col-
lections have been kept in excellent order, and rapid progress
has been made in the arrangement of the rooms intended for
public exhibition. With the present additions to the building it
will become possible to complete the exhibition-rooms containing
the Zoological collection, and to begin in the course of two or
three years the arrangement of the Paleontological exhibition-
rooms.

Although I gave the plans proposed for the completion of the
northern wing of the Museum, and of the northwestern corner-
piece in 1875, yet these have from various causes undergone very
important modifications, so that at the risk of some repetitions
-I here give the final plans as they have been adopted, and from
which the wing building has been completed, and the northwest-
ern corner-piece begun during the past year.

The changes in the plans are mainly due to the incorporation
of the building of the Peabody Museum with the building
originally planned for the Museum, and to the modifications in-
volyed in the limitations laid upon the space to be devoted to ex-
hibitions. The explanations of the plans will show the general
distribution of the available space which leaves full freedom for
the development of any branch of the Museum by its simple
removal to a new section of the building as soon as it has out-
grown the limits assigned to it here.

4

In the north wing, which is now completed, the basement will
be devoted to the storage of the alcoholic collections, intended
for specialists, and to suitable workrooms for the assistants.
The first story will contain the Synoptic room, the Palzonto-
logical exhibition-rooms, and the storage-rooms for Paleontology
and Geology. The gallery floor of the first story will contain the
workrooms for the assistants and specialists in Geology and Pa-
leontology, as well as the rooms devoted for the present to Com-
parative Anatomy. The second story and its gallery is entirely
devoted to exhibition-rooms, containing the Systematic and Faunal
collections ; while the mansard story contains the Entomological
Department with its workrooms, the Conchological Department,
and the storage and workrooms devoted to Birds, to Mammals, to
Radiates, and to Articulates, into which specialists will be admitted
under the supervision of the Museum assistants.

In the northwestern corner-piece there will be only three exhi-
bition-rooms, one Faunal room devoted to Europe, and two large
rooms intended for the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Three large
laboratories adjoining the palzontological and geological work-
rooms of the assistants, will be devoted to undergraduates and
students in Geology and Paleontology.

Three similar laboratories will be devoted to Biology, the
materials for study to be drawn either from the alcoholic and
other stores of the Museum, or from the vivarium and aquarium
which are to occupy the greater part of the basement of the cor-
ner-piece. In the former we shall hope to keep an ample supply
of all the common types necessary for dissection and for embryo-
logical study, such as frogs, salamanders, guinea-pigs, fowls,
rabbits, etc., while it is proposed to keep the large aquarium -
well stocked with the principal fresh-water and marine animals.
The proximity of Cambridge to the sea will make it a compar-
atively easy task to supply the aquarium not only with the marine
animals common on the north of Cape Cod, but also those of its
southern shores. I anticipate no difficulty in keeping a supply of
marine animals not only for demonstration, but also for original
work, hoping thus to do away with much of the desultory work
unavoidable for those who pass their summers on the seashore.
I do not, of course, propose to replace observation in the field to
the original investigator by this means, but I do hope by bringing
the larger number of our marine animals within the reach of the

5

students during their winter course of instruction, together with
books, apparatus, etc., then in use to simplify work, both for
pupil and teacher, and to lessen the strain which the summer
schools bring upon our already overburdened instructors.

The Aquarium room is large enough not only to supply this
need, but also to give excellent facilities for following out any
special line of investigation in the Anatomy or Embryology of our
marine animals, under the very best circumstances.

To facilitate the working of the establishment, a small gas
engine will supply the necessary power for the elevators and the
pumping of the water for the aquarium.

The gallery floor of the first story will contain the Curator’s
room, and the Library rooms, which will have in addition to the
reading-room a shelving capacity of 50,000 volumes, exclusive of
the special libraries in the rooms of the assistants. In the
mansard there will be a couple of rooms intended for the artist
of the Museum, or for special investigations, and a large lecture-
room, with a seating capacity for 325 persons.

The want of proper accommodations for the instruction of under-
graduates and other classes in the Museum is becoming a very
serious matter, but it is hoped that the needed room in the addi-
tion to the new building will become available before the evil
becomes intolerable.

Instruction has been given at the Museum by Professors Whit-
ney, Shaler, Farlow, Dr. James, and by Messrs. Faxon, Mark,
Davis, and Wadsworth. For the details of the courses I would
refer to the special reports of Professors Whitney and Shaler, and
to the detailed report on the Biological courses prepared by Dr.
Farlow and Mr. Faxon.

The collections of the second Blake Expedition to the Carib-
bean Islands have been sent for final revision to Messrs. Milne-
Edwards and Perrier of Paris, to Dr. Steindachner, Professor O.
Schmidt, Dr. Ehlers, Professor Carus, Sir Wyville Thomson, and
Messrs. Brady. The collections of bottom samples have been sent
to Mr. John Murray of Edinburgh for examination.

Materials have also been supplied from our collections for study
to Professor Schwalbe of Jena. A selected collection of Kchini
was sent to Dr. H. Ludwig to assist him in preparing a new
edition of the Echinoderms of Bronn’s Thierreich. A collection
of Trichoptera has been sent to Mr. R. M’Lachlan of London, one

6

of Staphylinide to Mr. Fauvel, and one of Brenthide to Mr. Power
for identification and publication with other material.

The second and concluding Part of the Final Report on the
Sponges of the “ Blake” by Professor Oscar Schmidt of Stras-
burg has been published. It forms a quarto Memoir of sixty
pages, handsomely illustrated by five Plates.

Dr. Steindachner has continued his descriptions of Fishes from
South America, based in great part on the Collections of the Mu-
seum, in the Proceedings of the Vienna Academy.

The collection of the Echini of the “ Challenger ” Expedition,
entrusted to me for description, has been returned to England
this spring, and I have forwarded the final Report to Sir Wy-
ville Thomson, together with the complete edition of sixty-five
Plates illustrating this Memoir.

The Museum publications have been more than usually im-
portant and numerous.

The Bulletins contain contributions to the Natural History of
the depths of the sea, by Messrs. Pourtales, Lyman, Dall, and
myself. In addition there have been published papers by Messrs.
Faxon, Fewkes, Allen, and Wadsworth on Crustacea, Siphon-
ophore, Bats, and Lithology.

The Report on the Florida Reefs, prepared by Professor Louis
Agassiz for the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, has been
published as one of the Museum Memoirs. It is finely illustrated
by lithographic plates, drawn many years ago by the late A.
Sonrel.

In connection with Professor Whitney the Museum has also
completed the Auriferous Gravels of California, completing Vol.
VI. of the Memoirs, fully illustrated with plates, maps, and
heliographs of scenery.

No. 2 of Vol. VII. of the Memoirs, “‘ Climatic Changes of Later
Geological Times,” also published in connection with Professor
Whitney, is well advanced.

The increase of the Library has been large, and our exchanges
continue on a satisfactory footing. The total number of volumes
now in the Library exclusive of pamphlets is over 14,000. Nearly
800 volumes were added during the past year, and about 1300
pamphlets and parts of volumes.

The special Reports of the assistants give the details of the
departments in their charge. The work on the collection of

7

Worms, in charge of Dr. Mark, has been limited to the necessary
care of the specimens and to short studies of some of the par-
asitic worms added to the collections during the past year. As
soon as the collections of Annelids sent for identification to
Europe have been returned a more detailed report of the collec-
tion can be made.

The most important additions during the past year have been
the collection of Paleozoic Fossils purchased from Messrs. Dyer,
Walcott, and Gebhard. The Dyer collection filled no less than
200 boxes besides a few large slabs. It has been brought together
by Mr. Dyer during the past twenty years, and is an unrivalled
collection of Invertebrates mainly from the Cincinnati group.

The Walcott collection represents mainly the Trenton lime-
stone, and is specially rich in Trilobites. The material upon
which Mr. C. D. ‘Walcott based his important investigations on
the structure of Trilobites forms a part of this collection.

The Gebhard collection is an important one in the palzontolog-
ical history of the State of New York. It is the result of the
work of three generations, Mr. Gebhard, from whom the collec-
tion was purchased, having materially increased it as he received
it from his grandfather through his uncle, both of whom were
zealous collectors of the fossils in the vicinity of Schoharie.

A beginning has also been made to supply our deficiencies of
North American Vertebrate Fossils. Mr. Garman spent some
time at the west, and brought back an excellent collection of
Tertiary Vertebrates, mainly from the Bad-lands.

To supply our desiderata towards the Faunal collections now
preparing of South America, India, and Africa, we have received
by purchase a large number of Birds and Mammals, both skins
and skeletons.

The arrangement of the North American Faunal room is prac-
tically completed, and I hope during the coming year to open the
South American Faunal room to the public. The cases for the
systematic collection of Molluscs have been completed, and Mr.
Hamlin is now arranging the room for exhibition.

All the old exhibition-rooms have now been thoroughly repaired,
and the appearance of the rooms open to the public has been
greatly improved.

We have received from Mrs. T. M. Brewer the collection of
birds’ eggs which the late Dr. Brewer bequeathed to the Museum.

8

During the past five or six years Dr. Brewer constantly added to
his already large collection, and thanks to his interest in our
Odlogical collection it is second only, for American Birds, to
that of the Smithsonian Institution.

The collection of deep-sea Invertebrates from the Western
Caribbean made by Commander J. R. Bartlett of the United
States Coast Survey, Steamer “ Blake,’ while running lines of
soundings during the winter of 1879-80 is an important addi-
tion to the collections made by the “ Blake” in the Gulf of
Mexico and from the Windward Islands. The Fauna of that
part of the Caribbean does not differ from that of the Eastern
portion. During the last part of June and during July Mr.
Patterson, the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, placed the
‘‘ Blake”? again at my disposal to run lines of dredgings normal
to the East Coast of the United States. Tite expedition was
entirely successful; large and interesting collections were made
during the cruise, which extended from the Northeastern edge of
George’s Shoal to a line east of Charleston, 8S. C., directly
across the Gulf Stream. I have given an account of this expedi-
tion in Letter No. 4, addressed to the Hon. Carlile P. Patterson,
Superintendent United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The
number of stations occupied during this cruise is unusually large,
thanks to good weather and the untiring zeal of Commander Bart-
lett and Mr. Sharrer, the executive officer, as well as all the
officers and crew of the ‘* Blake,” to whom deep-sea dredging
has now become a second nature. As the northern ground cov-
ered by this expedition is the extension into deep water of the
area examined by the United States Fish Commissioners, a part
of the Collections has been entrusted to Professors Verrill
(Cephalopods) and Smith (Crustacea). ‘The osseous fishes have
been placed in the hands of Mr. Goode for identification.

The Museum has suffered a heavy loss in the death of Mr.
Pourtalés. From his early youth, first as student and afterward
.as colleague and scientific adviser, he had held the most intimate

relations with Professor Agassiz, and had been familiar with .

every step in the history of the Institution founded by him. In
the laboratory, in the field, on their long voyages they had worked
together to one end, and long before he was officially connected
with the Museum he had not only contributed largely to its col-
lections but was identified with its general progress. Since his

.
i i i i

9

appointment after my father’s death as Keeper of the Museum,
he has not only taken charge of his own department, but on him
has devolved, during my frequent and prolonged absences, the
management of the Museum and the execution of plans requiring
for their success entire sympathy with the spirit in which they
were conceived. I can never replace the friend who has thus, for
nearly ten years, been my other self in the administration of the
Museum, and the Institution would indeed be fortunate should it
find in his successor the learning, the modesty, the industry, or
the executive ability which, combined with his rare scientific
attainments, made him invaluable in his post at Cambridge.

This is not the place to enter into any details regarding his
scientific career. I may, however, recall the great influence his
investigations have had upon Marine Zodlogy. Following Bailey
in his microscopic investigations upon the nature of the sea-
bottom on the Kast Coast of the United States, he extended like
researches little by little, until under the enlightened support of
the then Superintendent of the Coast Survey, Professor Bache,
he became through his extensive dredging operations in the deep
waters of the Straits of Florida (1866, 1867, 1868) the pioneer
of deep-sea zodlogical explorations in America. His publications
on this subject are to be found mainly in the Reports of the
United States Coast Survey, in Silliman’s Journal and in the
Memoirs and Bulletins of the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy.
The former were published while he was still an assistant in the
Coast Survey. His later publications, under the auspices of the
Museum, were chiefly devoted to the deep-sea corals, crinoids and
polyps of the “ Bibb,’ ‘ Hassler” and ‘ Blake” expeditions
after he became attached to the Museum. They bear witness not
only to the range of his learning but to the breadth of view
which he brought to all his investigations.

ALEXANDER AGASSIZ.

CAMBRIDGE, September 1, 1880.

10

REPORT ON THE GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.

By J. D. Wuityey, Sturgis-Hooper Professor of Geology.

Durine the past year instruction has been given in this depart-
ment as follows: The Sturgis-Hooper professor lectured through
the whole college year on Economical Geology, twice a week, to
students in the fourth year of the Engineering Course of the
Lawrence Scientific School. Mr. Wadsworth lectured during the
latter part of the year on Lithology, to an audience of teachers
and professors, with an average attendance of about fourteen
persons. He also gave practical instruction in Micro-lithology,
through the whole year, to graduates and teachers from the Boston
Public Schools.

Cases for the lithological collections, which will hold a large
number of specimens, have recently been put up in the geological
lecture-room, and Mr. Wadsworth has begun to arrange the mate-
rial in this department, so as to make it accessible for examination
and study. There have been three valuable additions made to
this collection since the date of the last report. One of these
illustrates a section across New Hampshire and Vermont, and
was procured from Mr. Huntington; another was collected by
Professor Pettee, in California; and the third by Mr. Wadsworth,
in Newfoundland, and in the Carboniferous formation of Nova
Scotia. About 200 thin sections have also been added during
the year, mostly of rocks from Lake Superior, making the whole
number available for study about 1,400.

Several collections of rocks and minerals have been examined
for individuals desiring information in this department. Among
these were suites of specimens from Leadville and Florissant,
and a large collection made by Rev. Selah Merrill, D.D., in
Palestine. é

Mr. Wadsworth has devoted a large part of his time, during

11

4

the year, to the preparation of a paper on the Iron and Copper
Regions of Lake Superior, which forms the first number of the
first volume of the Geological Series of the Bulletin of the Mu-
seum. It contains 157 pages, and is illustrated by six plates.

The time of the Sturgis-Hooper professor has been chiefly occu-
pied in continuing the publication of the “ Auriferous Gravels of
the Sierra Nevada,” which is now completed, forming Vol. VI.
No. 1 of the Memoirs of the Museum, and containing xvi and 569
pages, with twenty-four illustrations, — maps, plates of sections,
and heliographs of scenery,—and two large folding maps, one of
which is in two sheets. This work, with the Memoir of Mr. Les-
quereux on the fossil plants of the same formation, completes the
sixth volume of the Memoirs.

It was the intention of the Sturgis-Hooper professor to include
within the volume on the gravels an account of the glacial and
surface geology of the Sierra Nevada; but finding the work
likely to expand to dimensions too large for convenience, if all
this matter were to be included in one volume, it has been divided
into two portions. A memoir entitled the “ Climatic Changes of
Later Geological Times” has been prepared, and a portion of it
(120 pages) is already in type, and will be published synchro-
nously with the gravel volume. The remainder, which is nearly
all written, will be put in type and issued during the coming
winter. This work will form No. 2 of Vol. VIL. of the Memoirs.
It will contain a full description of the phenomena observed in
the Cordilleras, indicating changes of climate during the later
geological periods, followed by a discussion of the bearing of these
facts on climatic changes in general, especially those which have
occurred during the most recent geological epochs, and which the
- author believes to be still in progress.

12

REPORT OF PROF. N. S. SHALER ON THE INSTRUC-
TION IN GEOLOGY AND PALZONTOLOGY.

Tue following courses of instruction have been given by myself
and by my assistant, Mr. Wm. M. Davis, instructor in Geology : —

1. A course in Physical Geography and Meteorology, three hours a week,
to forty-five undergraduates. This course was given by Mr. Davis alone.

2. A course in Elementary Geology and Paleontology, three hours a
week, with a parallel course in elementary field and laboratory work, to
one hundred and sixteen undergraduates from various departments of the
University. This course was given by myself, with the assistance of Mr.
Davis.

3. A graduate course in Paleontology, open only to those who had
taken courses in Elementary Geology and in Zodlogy. It was attended
by six students.

4. A graduate course in advanced field-work, open to those who had
taken Elementary Geology, attended by two students.

5. A graduate course in the history of geological opinions, open only
to those who had the requisite knowledge of Geology and Palzontology. °
The course was attended by three students.

6. A summer course in field-work, designed to afford an opportunity for
advanced students, to those familiar with Geological Surveying, was given
upon selected localities in Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Seven
persons attended the instruction in this course.

My private assistant, Mr. George H. Squier, has been employed
during one half the year in making collections in the field, and
in arranging the collections for the use of students in Geology
and Palzontology. ,

During the year I have made use of a small outbuilding belong-
ing to the Museum for the purpose of doing some limited work in
chemical geology and assaying. In connection with this work,
two or three of the more advanced students who had acquired
a general knowledge of chemistry were given some training in

13

ore analysis. I am satisfied that it will be well if this laboratory
- is maintained, so that those students who propose hereafter to
devote themselves to practical geology may acquire a knowledge
of the processes of assaying, and perhaps be led to a study of the
problems of chemical geology. There are now half-a-dozen stu-
dents in this department who are fitted by previous chemical train-
ing for such work, and who desire to pursue it.

A circular, descriptive of the several courses in this department,
and in that under the direction of Professor Whitney, has been
prepared by the officers of those departments, and printed by the
college for the use of students.

14

REPORT ON INSTRUCTION IN ZOOLOGY AT THE
MUSEUM.

By Water Faxon, Instructor in Zodlogy.

Durine the winter of 1878-79, the plan of instruction in Zodlogy
given at the Museum underwent a complete revision, and import-
ant changes were made in the scheme of courses. ‘The courses as
now arranged having had a year’s trial, it seems a fitting time to
state their scope and aims.

Four courses involving instruction in Zodlogy were given at the
Museum during the past academic year : —

_ 1. General Zodlogy (lectures). Dr. E. L. Mark.
2. Biology (laboratory work and lectures). Prof. W. G. Farlow and
Dr. Walter Faxon.

38. Advanced Zodlogy (laboratory work and lectures). Dr. Walter
Faxon.

4, Physiology and Hygiene (lectures). Ass’t. Prof. Wm. James.

The first course is designed to meet the wants of those stu-
dents who devote most of their time while in the University to
other departments of learning, but who wish to become acquainted
with those fundamental facts and principles of Zodlogy which at
the present time it behooves every educated man to know. Hence
no time is spent in this course in practical dissection in the labora-
tory, microscopic manipulation, or preparation of specimens. The
whole course consists of two lectures a week, with demonstration
from specimens on the lecturer’s table.

This course was attended by 56 students.

_ The second course is intended for those students whose tastes
incline them specially towards scientific studies. It serves as a
preparation for both Advanced Botany and Advanced Zodlogy,
only such as have taken it being allowed to carry their biological
studies any further. It is also recommended to those who propose

15

to follow the medical profession in after years. Although ele-
mentary, the course is eminently practical, involving a large amount
of laboratory work, use of the microscope, and mechanical prepa-
ration of specimens. The work done in the laboratory may be said
to be the basis of the course, the lectures supplementary, and, as
far as practicable, in direct connection with it. |

For this course twelve new microscopes, of Zeiss’ and Vérick’s
make, were furnished through the liberality of Mr. Agassiz, making
together with those already in the laboratory about two dozen avail-
able instruments. <A good outfit of re-agents, etc., was also pro-
vided by the College.

In this course the outlines of both Botany and Zodlogy are
taught by means of the study of a comparatively few forms of
plants and animals selected with a view to illustrate the more im-
portant modifications of plant and animal structure.

The first academic term is devoted to the study of plants.

The instruction was given by Professor Farlow, who reports
as follows :—

“The course in Biology, Natural History 5, of the undergraduate elect-
ive studies, was divided into two portions, of which the botanical portion,
under my charge, was held in the Museum laboratory, beginning at the
opening of the term and extending to the mid-year examinations. The
number of students who pursued the course to the close of the work with
me was 35, They were distributed among the several classes as follows:
Seniors 8; Juniors 16; Sophomores 4; Freshman 1; Graduate 1; Sci-
entific 1 ; Unmatriculated 4. Besides this number were three or four from
the professional schools who attended only a portion of the course. Some
delay was experienced in beginning the laboratory work in consequence of
the late arrival of the microscopes from Europe ; but, in the absence of mi-
croscopes, extra lectures were given so that the time of the students was
fully occupied. Later in the season only one lecture a week was gene-
rally given, as it was found that the students required most of the time to
enable them to perform their laboratory work thoroughly. The course be-
gan with a study of the structure of the typical vegetable cell and its prin
cipal modifications, and afterwards an attempt was made to give the stu
dents a general view of the vegetable kingdom by examining a single type
of the different subdivisions, beginning with the lower forms, as yeast and
the nostocs. For the study of the lower orders, living and alcoholic ma-
terial was provided by the instructor, and ferns and flowering plants were
furnished by the director of the Botanic Garden.

“The course for the present year was tentative, and whether a successful
result was reached or not cannot be known until it shall have been seen

16

whether the students have been better prepared for pursuing more ad-
vanced studies hereafter. I have had reason to be pleased with the dili-
gence and activity of the class, and feel that, although we have labored
under several disadvantages necessarily attendant upon the introduction
of a new course, the students have done all in their power to profit by the
instruction and to make the position of their instructor a pleasant one.”

The work of the term assigned to Zodlogy was begun by the
study of the structure of the animal cell as shown in the tissues
of the fresh-water polyp (Hydra). Besides seeing, describing,
and drawing every point in the structure of the Hydra, each
student is required to stain and mount on glass slides microscopic
sections for permanent preservation ; and these mounted prepara-
tions are taken into consideration at the end of the year, when
the student undergoes examination on the work of the year.

This was followed by study of Amgéba, Sea-Anemone, Starfish,
Lobster, Oyster, and Clam.

By presenting to the student a few forms typical of the chief
ereat groups of the animal kingdom, an idea is given of the most
important modifications of structure. But through these few forms,
naturally so widely separated from each other, the beginner is
unable to take the important lesson in comparative study without
which any elementary course in Natural History would seem to
me grossly defective. In order to afford this lesson in the study
of homologies, as complete a series of Echinoderms as possible was
placed before each student, who, with a number of clearly related
forms before him, is now led to determine the identical structural
parts in the different forms, and to realize the fact that all these
forms, superficially so different from each other, are but modifi-
cations of one type of structure.

The history of the development of three or four Invertebrates
was given by means of lectures, preparations, and diagrams ; and
even here it was found possible in the spring of the year to de-
monstrate with fresh specimens many phases in the development, »
such as the segmentation of the egg and various stages in the
larval life of the animals under consideration.

Owing to the extreme shortness of time allotted to the zodlogi-
cal half of this course, the study of a vertebrate animal, with
which the course was to have closed, had to be omitted last year.
Another year the plan can doubtless be carried out more nearly
to meet the programme ; but the instructor wishes to suggest the

17

advisability of making the course in Biology cover two years.
This would raise the character of the advanced courses in Botany
and Zoology, and tend to relegate them to the graduate courses.

The course in Biology last year was attended by thirty-six
students (one Freshman, four Sophomores, sixteen Juniors, eight
Seniors, one student in the Lawrence Scientific School, one candi-
date for the degree of A.M., and five unmatriculated students).
Most of these students intend to study medicine.

Nine hours a week are required of each student.

The third course (Advanced Zodlogy) can be followed in the
future only by those who have passed the examinations in Biology.
The members of the class last year had during the preceding
year taken a general course in Elementary Zoology, and were
thus prepared to study more thoroughly certain groups of
animals. The early part of the year was devoted to the study of
the morphology of the class of Crustacea. The students being
few in number, it was found practicable to place the amplest
amount of material in their hands, and to deal with the mor-
phological problems with a delightful freedom from diagrams and
text-books. The interest shown by the students in their work
was attested by the fact that some of them of their own accord
embodied the results of their studies in original essays, which were
presented before the Harvard Natural History Society.

The Radiates were next taken up in a similar way ; and the
last third of the year was devoted to the study of the development
of the chick within the egg.

This course was taken by three Seniors, one Junior, and one
student of the Lawrence Scientific School, — nine hours a week
throughout the year. ;

The fourth course consists of one lecture a week on Human

Physiology. It is a voluntary course, open to all students of the
University. About thirty students attended the lectures during
the last year.
- In addition to these four courses given last year, a course in
Entomology (with laboratory work), by Prof. H. A. Hagen, is
offered to graduates who are properly qualified to pursue the
study. This course was not given last year, having accidentally
been omitted from the list of electives.

The Museum assistants are also allowed to take students
specially qualified in any special department of Zodlogy or
Paleontology. , 8

18

REPORT ON THE MAMMALS AND BIRDS.
By J. A. ALLEN.

Mammats. — The additions to this department during the year
number about sixty mounted skins, representing nearly as many
species new to the collection ; eighty unmounted skins, sixteen
skeletons, and twenty skulls. Noteworthy among these are the
skeleton of a Jarge finner whale and the skull of a hump-backed
whale taken at Provincetown, a mounted skeleton of a gorilla, and
finely-mounted skins of a large old male Bornean orang ( Simia
Wurmbi Owen), a hairy tapir ( Tapirus Roulini), a young hippo-
potamus,a Javan rhinoceros, several large African antelopes, Pota-
moherus Edwardsi,a proboscis monkey, and various other species
of monkeysand lemurs. Quite a large number of skins previously
received have also been mounted.

An important addition to the paleontological department con-
sists of a large collection of remains of extinct mammals from the
Bad-lands of north-eastern Wyoming, made by Mr. 8. W. Garman,
numbering not far from five hundred specimens, and representing
about twenty species. The collection includes large suites of the
skulls and other bones of all the more common species of the
locality explored.

About one-half of the collection of alcoholic bats (numbering
about six hundred specimens) has been placed in the hands of
Dr. Harrison Allen for elaboration.

Birps. — About two thousand skins have been added to the
collection of birds, two hundred of them mounted; and about
four hundred have been mounted from specimens previously in
the collection. About two-thirds of the additions are from South
and Central America and the West Indies ; the larger part of the
remainder are from North America, purchased with special ref-
erence to supplying deficiencies in the North American series.
The more important special collections include one hundred and

19

seventy specimens from Nicasio, California; two hundred and
sixty from Aspinwall, Panama; fifty from Pernambuco, Brazil,
embracing several rare species ; four hundred and twenty from
various Mexican, Central American, and South American locali-
ties, selected from the duplicates of the Boston Society of Natural
History, consisting to a large degree of virtually type specimens ;
three hundred and fifty from the island of Grenada, W. I. ; about
one hundred and twenty-five from Santa Lucia, W.I.; and smaller
lots from St. Kitts, Martinique, and Porto Rico. Nearly all,
as well as the mammals, were added by purchase, and are the
gift of Mr. Agassiz. ,

The department of Odlogy has been increased by the addition
of the valuable collection of eggs left to the Museum by the late
Dr. Thomas M. Brewer of Boston, numbering about three thousand
five hundred lots, and not far from one thousand species. A few
rare nests and eggs have been presented by Mr. H. D. Minot of
Boston.

The room for the exhibition of the South American and Aus-
tralian collections has been furnished with cases, to which the
large amount of material already gathered for these collections
will soon be removed. Two new workrooms have been com-
pleted in the attic, to which will immediately be removed the
collections of Osteology and skins of birds and mammals.

Besides the identification and intercalation of the additions, a
systematic catalogue of the bird skins has been begun during the
last year ; and already upward of one thousand species have been
critically revised or determined, covering the Psittacz, the Trochi-
lide, and the Oscines from the Turdide to the Icteride. This
catalogue, when completed, will show at a glance not only what
species are in the collection, but the number of specimens of each
and the localities represented. Of the considerable number of
families thus far revised, about twenty to seventy-five per cent of
the known species are represented, the average being not far from
one-third.

In regard to the further increase of the collections, it may be
added that a large order for material to complete the osteological
collection, both for the mounted and unmounted series, has been
placed in the hands of Prof. H. A. Ward of Rochester, fully cover-
ing the classes of mammals and birds, the order to be gradually
filled as opportunity may favor.

20

REPORT ON THE FISHES, SELACHIANS, REPTILES,
AND BATRACHIANS.

By S. W. GARMAN.

FIsHEs.

THREE-FOURTHS of the labor of the year has been done in this
department. As a result, in addition to incidental work in
the care of the collection, correspondence, &c., about 12,000 num-
bers have been added to the catalogue, all the storage cans have>
been overhauled, and nearly fifty large sets of duplicates made ready
for shipment to correspondents. The acquisitions have been the
most important for some years. Among them are several excel-
lent skeletons of North American species, secured by purchase.
A very fine specimen of Ceratodus was furnished by Sir Wyville
Thomson. In exchange for American duplicates, we have about
sixty Red Sea and Indian Ocean species; for South American
duplicates, about fifty species from the Adriatic were obtained.
From Professor Baird of the National Museum we have received
another instalment of the series of East Coast fishes, and from the
Coast Survey many deep-sea fishes, obtained by the steamer
‘“‘ Blake.”” Numerous fresh-water fishes from India and the West
Indies have been secured by purchase, and by collection a number
of species, with duplicates, from the Rocky Mountains. Many of
the additions are rarities, and were selected for the purpose of
supplying deficiencies. The larger shipments have been made to
the Paris Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Butler University,
Ind. ; Bethel College, Ky. ; Illinois Natural History Society, and Dr.
Day of England. Specimens have also been sent to Sir Wyville
Thomson, Dr. G. E. Manigault, the Boston Natural History
Society, and others. The deep-sea fishes were forwarded to the
Fish Commission. Various changes and additions have been
made in the exhibition series. The selection and preparation of
specimens for the rooms yet to be filled continues.

21

SELACHIANS.

Beyond some identifications and changes of alcohol, little has
been done on the Selachians. A beautiful specimen of Stegostoma
for the exhibition room is the most noteworthy purchase of the
year. Some rare deep-water species, hitherto desiderata, have
been secured by the dredging operations of the Coast Survey
steamer “‘ Blake.’ An examination of a greater portion of the
tanks and cans discovered very little change in the condition of
the specimens.

REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS.

A considerable amount of time has been devoted to the prepara-
tion of specimens for exhibition in the rooms soon to be opened.
A large number of species has been secured by purchase, ex-
. change, donation, and collecting in the field since the preceding
report, many of them in the way of rarities and desirable dupli-
cates. A tolerably complete series from the East Indies was the
largest purchase. Various collectors in the West Indies have
made substantial additions to the collections from their respective
localities. ‘The European correspondents of the Museum have
sent valuable Asiatic, African, and European species ; and from
the Boston Society it has additions to the number in some
species previously lacking. To the North American representa-
tion a fine lot has been added by collection in the Territories and
by purchase from the Gulf States. Among the skeletons pur-
chased there are several turtles from North America, South
America, and Australia. An important series of fossil tortoises
was collected in the Bad-land regions of the West. The donations
include New England species in various stages of development,
and of value for exhibition and exchanges.

22

REPORT ON INSECTS.

By Dr. H. A. Hacen.

THERE have been presented to the Museum a large number
(42) of additions, among them many biological specimens. The
most important are from Dr. Fritz Mueller of Brazil; from Dr.
G. J. Engeléman, St. Louis, Mo. ; from Dr. C. A. Dohrn, Stettin,
a type of the parasite of the beaver (Platypsylla) ; from J. H.
Hubbard, Detroit, Mich., Cave articulata; from Dr. Ch. V.
Riley, a pair of Hornia; from Dr. Rougemont, Neufchatel, Swit-
zerland, Helicopsyche from Naples ; from the Museum, in Tokio,
Japan, a large lot in exchange.

Scientific publications, based in part or entirely on the collec-
tion of the Museum, consist of the European Trichoptera, by
Mr. R. M’Lachlan, London ; the American Staphylinide, by Mr.
Fauvel, Lille, France; the Brenthide, by Mr. G. Power, Rouen,
France ; and several papers by Dr. H. A. Hagen.

The condition of the collection is very satisfactory. Miss M.
Clark has spread and set a very large number of specimens. The
two hundred new boxes ordered for the department allowed a
considerable extension of the arrangement of the insects. All the
Hymenoptera are arranged, filling nearly five cabinets; of the
Hemiptera a part is arranged; the Odonata are rearranged, and
fill nine cabinets. The Biological collection is finished for the
Hemiptera as far as the Cicade.

A large number of microscopical slides have been added to the
collection.

A very remarkable lot of deformities of Coleoptera, published
types, was presented by Dr. J. L. Le Conte and Dr. Horn, of
Philadelphia, and by Mr. C. L. Harrison, New Haven, Conn.

The answering of scientific or biological questions on obnoxious
insects has become an important work for the department. For-

23

merly there arrived, on the average, perhaps four letters a week ;
now more than twice that number are received. At least one
day a week is now devoted to answering such letters.

The Library has been increased by very valuable books. Nearly
all the papers by Th. W. Harris are now in the Library, some of
them being very scarce.

The collection of Brenthide has proved to be a very rich one.
It has been examined by Mr. G. Power. It contains 306 named
species. The last published catalogue by Mr. Harold counts only
276 species, of which 147 are represented in the collection. There
have been placed in the exhibition room a small general syste-
matic collection, contained in 27 large boxes, six of them contain-
ing transformations, and the North American Faunal collection
in six boxes.

94

REPORT ON THE CRUSTACEA.

By WALTER Faxon.

THE whole of my time during the past year was devoted to the
students of Zodlogy at the Museum. No work upon the collection
of Crustacea was done, except that necessary for the preservation
and storage of new collections received during the year.

As in the two preceding years, the most important additions to
the collection have come from the “ Blake’ Expedition.

List of additions to the* collection of Crustacea : —

Alex. Agassiz. Collections of the “ Blake” Expedition.

K. D. Atwood. Large collection of deformed lobster claws, from
Portland, Maine. (Purchased.)

E. Cole. Specimens from off St. Lucia. 278 fms.

Walter Faxon. Specimens from Newport, R. I.

J. W. Fewkes. Piyllosoma from Villa Franca.

S. W. Garman. Crustacea from the West Indies, collected 1878-79.

C. F. Gissler. Bopyrus parasitic on Palemonetes vulgaris.

E. H. King. Oambari from West Liberty, Ia.

F’. Lagois. Collection made at St. Barts and St. Kitts, W. I.

Edward Palmer. Astacus, Apus, Branehipus, Estheria, and Amphi-
poda, from Mexico.

H. J. Perry. Cambarus from Black Lake, N. Y.

B. G. Snow. Collections from Ebon, Marshall Islands, and Caroline
Islands.

C. N. Willard. Small collection from Old Point Comfort, Va.

Zodlogical Station, Trieste. Mephrops Norgevicus.

-
:
:
:

25

REPORT ON THE CONCHOLOGICAL AND PALZONTOLO-
GICAL DEPARTMENTS.

By CHartes E. HAMLIN.

DurinG the year very extensive and important additions have
been made, by purchase, to the collections of Fossil Invertebrata,
the extent of which can at present be indicated no further than
by stating the number of packages received. They are: —

Sixteen boxes specimens from the Upper Silurian and Devonian
strata of Schoharie, N. Y., and vicinity, being the collection of
Mr. Wm. D. Gebhard. °

One hundred and ninety-three boxes specimens, and thirty-three
large slabs and fragments, chiefly from the Lower Silurian of
Cincinnati and other parts of Ohio, comprising the entire collec-
tion of Mr. C. B. Dyer, of Cincinnati.

Thirty-three boxes and nine barrels fossils of the Trenton
Limestone and Utica Slate of Central New York, from Mr. C. D.
Walcott, of Trenton Falls, N. Y. :

Thirty-two species, two hundred and six specimens, inverte-
brate fossils from Mount Lebanon, Palestine, collected by and
bought of Rey. William Bird.

As the Gebhard collection came without names, the larger part
of February and March was given to the assortment of the speci-
mens and the determination of the Mollusca from the Lower
Helderberg groups and the Oriskany Sandstone.

The month of April was spent by me at Cincinnati, in assorting
and packing the Dyer collection. This, and that of Mr. Walcott,
remain for the present in the packages.

Considerable time has been devoted to the determination of the
Mollusca of the Bird collection, and those of another, chiefly
from Mount Lebanon, made by and belonging to Rev. Selah
Merrill.

4

26

The selection of fossil species designed to make part of the
Systematic Collection of Mollusca has been completed, and the
Tertiary species have been mounted.

The difficulty of procuring suitable tablets has greatly delayed
the work of remounting the recent shells set apart for exhibition
in the Systematic Collection, but since the receipt of tablets the
mounting has been in progress, and arrangement in the new cases
will keep pace with the mounting.

Owing to the pressure of other work, conchological exchanges
have been carried on only with a few old and valued correspond-
ents. Offers of new exchanges have been necessarily declined.

Intervals of time not otherwise occupied have been given to
revision of recent Lamellibranchiata, which, discontinued in
1877, was in part resumed last year.

Miss Anthony, besides her usual work of cleaning and mount-
ing specimens, has rendered efficient help in assorting fossils.

The receipts of shells by exchange have been six packages, comprising
three thousand, nine hundred and forty-five specimens of two hundred
and fifteen species. Consignments sent in return have numbered five
packages, one thousand, seven hundred, and forty-two (1742) specimens
of two hundred and forty-eight (248) species.

27

REPORT ON THE LIBRARY.

By Miss F. M. Suack.

THE accessions to the Library during the year ending Septem-
ber 1, 1880, have amounted to 772 volumes, 866 parts, and 424
pamphlets, from the following sources.

VOLUMES. PARTS. PAMPHLETS.
Senet At se a aie! ea te et he, 02 77
SERMCIR TIRES 5) ce er ue ne le! et ns , GF 230
PU ke ee we oo * BD 439 104
DMO cc ee ce os! el ce et a i AOE 187 243
Minseumipeeeetions. 5. . -« © « 6 2 10
Binding parts and pamphlets . . . . . . 198
772 866 424

The number of volumes (exclusive of pamphlets) now in the
Library is 14,098.

28

[A]

INVESTED FUNDS OF THE MUSEUM.

IN THE HANDS OF THE TREASURER OF HARVARD COLLEGE, Sept. 1, 1877.

~

Siurcis-Hooper.Fund . <5.‘ ss) ese Sake eee $70,142.52
Gray wo BS hae alee ena aa 51,750.00
Meassiz Memorial $6. 2) .6 eas ie eee | 297,933.10

Teachers & Pupils’ Fund, a i Rie te SAL an eT ee 7,564.01
Permanent os ee 117,469.34
Humboldt J: « & ena a Gitte ay eae ee mene mn ‘7,740.66
Agassiz Building :

$552,599.63

> ma

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29

[B.]
FACULTY OF THE MUSEUM.

CHARLES W. ELIOT, President.
ALEXANDER AGASSIZ; Curator.

JOSIAH D. WHITNEY, Secretary. THEODORE LYMAN.

OFFICERS.

ALEXANDER AGASSIZ, .
JOSIAH D. WHITNEY,
HERMANN A. HAGEN,
NATHANIEL S. SHALER,
WILLIAM JAMES,
THEODORE LYMAN, .
CHARLES E. HAMLIN,
JOEL ASAPH ALLEN,
WALTER FAXON,

W. M. DAVIS, Jr.,

S. W. GARMAN;

E. L. MARK, 7?
M. E. WADSWORTH, .
J. W. FEWKES, . .
PAULUS ROETTER,
MISS F. M. SLACK .

Curator.

Sturgis-Hooper Professor of Geology.
Professor of Entomology.

Professor of Paleontology.

Assist. Prof. of Physiol. and Comp. Anat.
Assistant in Zoélogy.

Assistant in Conchology and Paleontology.

. Assistant in Ornithology.

Assistant in Zoblegical Laboratory.
Assistant in Geological Laboratory.
Assistant in Herpetology and Ichthyology.
Assistant in Zodlogical Laboratory.
Assistant in Lithology.

In charge of Radiates.

Artist.

Librarian.

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