Mary J. Rathbun

"The Fish Commission explorations began 1891, in connection with the between California and the , when ten hauls of the trawl and tangles were made, mostly between 300 and 375 s. The results were meager compared with those realized by the three months' systematic exploration by a land party in 1901 under the leadership of Dr. and Dr. and the in 1902. ... This vessel occupied 397 stations in the vicinity of the islands, while field parties, led by Dr. , explored the shores and reefs as well as the fresh-water streams. Mr. , of , has given added value to the specimens by notes on their habits, color, etc. Mr. , for many years a resident of , has from time to time sent to the National Museum, and has added several species to this list. Other contributors are the late , a wealthy planter of the island of who was much interested in natural history, and Mr. R. C. McGregor, of the ."

"... Through the activities of its various vessels and laboratories the has been able to transfer to the vast accumulations from nearly all the coasts of America. The amount of work accomplished by the steamers ' and ' and the schooner ', as well as by other vessels of the commission in earlier years, is indicated in the detailed lists of specimens. Other Government explorations that have yielded considerable results are those constantly carried on by the of the Department of Agriculture and those occasional expeditions under the auspices of the National Museum itself and the . Of the obtained by the and by the very little remains, owing to the inadequate housing of the former collection before the existence of a National Museum building, and to the destruction of the latter collection in the while it was in the custody of Dr. ."

"Her own special field of interest was the , particularly the s, both recent and fossil. Her bibliography on the animals embraces 158 titles. Perhaps her most important and best-known works are her four large monographs on the , , and of America, published as bulletins of the between 1918 and 1937. In 1917 the conferred upon her the degree of doctor of philosophy in recognition of her work on the grapsoid crabs."