REPORT OF XATiOXM^ ML'SEUM, 19-0. 109 



Dr. AV. II. Dall reports progress in indexing the Tertiary material 

 in his charge. The hirgest additions to these collections have Ijeen 

 from the AVest Indies and are nnder the immediate supervision of 

 Dr. T. AV. Vanghan. All have been given a prclimin;u'v examina- 

 tion, assorted into species, and tentatively identified. 



The skeleton of Brontotkerium hatcTieri Osborn has Ijeen a<]ded 

 to the exhibits of vertebrate fo.ssils. This imposing addition to the 

 skeletons of large extinct mammals is the first and onlv mount of the 

 genus to be exhibited. As shown in tlie accompanying plate 2, 

 it forms an interesting illustration of the skeletal structure, and too 

 much praise can scarcely be afforded ^Ir. Ilorne for tlie mechanical 

 skill displayed in the preparation. 



A long existing gap in our representation of the fauna of the 

 Niobrara Cretaceous is filled b}^ the attractive and instructive exhibit 

 shown in plate 3. This skeleton of the large sea-living lizard, 

 T ylosaurus prorlger Cope, is mounted in half relief as a panel on 

 the north Avail of the main exhibition hall. It measures some 25 

 feet in length and, with the exception of the paddle bones of the 

 liind limb Avhich pertain to a second individual, all the parts belong 

 to this one specimen. The work of mounting was done V)y Mr, 

 Norman Bo.ss with his accustomed skill. 



Other additions to the exhibition series in this division include a 

 skeleton of the diminutive camel, StenomyJ'ns liitehcocki; skulls of 

 the musk-ox mounted on a panel in the alcove of Pleistocene speci- 

 mens; and four large Brontotlieriuiii skulls mounted for the Titano- 

 there exhibit. In addition Mr. Home i^repared and mounted a finely 

 preserA'ed bear skull and three skulls of the extinct peccary, PJaty- 

 gonus cuiiiberlandenHis Gidley, male, female, and young, on a single 

 suj^port, these last forming the nucleus around Avhich it is proposed 

 to arrange a representative series of the Cumberland cave fauna. 



The refitting of the large cases in the east end of tlfe Aertebrate 

 hall has permitted an entire rearrangement of the materials, and 

 incidentall}', the retirement of many fragmental specimens, thereby 

 greatly improving the appearance of the exhibit. 



A systematic arrangement of the study collections of ma.stodon 

 remains has been completed by Mr. Gidley, avIio is continuing his 

 studies on the Fort Union mammals and the Cumberland cave col- 

 lections. Of the former, some 50 additional specimens have been 

 named or definitely determined so far as their generic and s])ecific 

 characters are concerned. In this collection some 350 specimens 

 have already been catalogued. 



The preparators have as tisual been employed not merely in the 

 preparation of material for Exhibition, but in repairing In-oken speci- 

 mens, renovating cases, and cleaning up the more or less fragmentary 



