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record books. Some of the stony corals obtained by him have also been identified and catalogued.

The collection of barnacles, from all sources, has been brought together, with a view to selecting out the deep sea species to send to Dr. P.P.C. Hock, of Holland, for identification, but want of time has prevented the accomplishing of that plan this spring.

As collections have been overhauled and determined, many duplicate specimens have been set aside for the purposes of exchange and for distribution to institutions of learning throughout the country. It will probably be possible, at an early date, to make up a number of special sets of this nature, but there is not enough material on hand at present. The rapid increase in size of our alcoholic collections has imposed a heavy task in the way of keeping such materials in good condition, and constant attention is required to prevent injury to specimens from the loss of alcohol due to evaporation or the breaking of jars. The alcohol which has remained in many of the receptacles for a number of years has also been of uncertain strength, and to remove all doubt as to the safety of the collections, they have been completely gone over during the past six months, and every jar and bottle refilled with alcohol. Redistilled alcohol, of 75 to 80 per cent, has been used for this purpose, where a greater strength was not required. We have also attempted to greatly reduce the amount of alcoholic material by drying large numbers of specimens, which it is possible to do in such groups as the sea urchins, starfishes, etc. Nearly all of the material sent in by the Fish Commission has been preserved in alcohol, as it is impossible to dry most specimens in good condition on the sea shore or on