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duplicate sets. I have also attempted to give him some natural history training so far as my time would permit, by having him examine typical forms of animals and study their structure. Of the three midshipmen under my charge, I am able to speak most favorably of Mr. Safford, who has always had decided tastes for natural history studies from his earliest boyhood and who appears to have been a diligent student. He has already collected and handled many zoological specimens and acquired favorable methods of study. I have not been able to follow his labors closely, for the want of time, but he appears to be able to carry on simple investigations without much outside assistance. On entering the Museum, he was desirous of identifying himself with the Department of Mollusca, but as that was impossible, I offered him the dry Collection of Echini, for study and identification. He has worked industriously at this task and already completed the identifications of nearly half the collection. I am not able to speak of the character of all his identifications, but the majority, at least, are presumably correct. The Museum Collection of Echini, which is quite extensive, was found to be in very unsatisfactory condition when I first examined it two years ago, a large number of the labels having been lost, and many of the specimens injured by improper handling. I had already gone over the collection once, but was unable to spend any time, making identifications,