110 REPOPiT OF IS'ATIOX.VT. MUSEUIM, 1920, 



luuterials constituting- the studj- series. An important piece of work 

 has been the making- of casts, five each, of all the ten types of Xorth 

 American fossil birds. These are to be utilized in exchanses with 

 other museums in order that our collections may be made to include 

 practically all that is known of the fossil remains of this group. 



\Iessrs. Barrett and Goldberg have worked almost exclusively 

 upon the study series. Mr. H. Warner, as in previous years, has 

 d'3 voted his attention to preparatory work in the division of geology 

 and mineralogy, but has also been occupied in general repair work 

 about the building. 



The work in the division of paleobotany has consisted in the prepa- 

 ration and installation of large specimens, diagrams, and photo- 

 graphs illustrating the biological relationships of fossil plants. 

 This exhibit, which is to occupy a long wall case in the paleobotanical 

 hall is now about one-third completed, and much new material will 

 be required before its condition can be considered satisfactory. Miss 

 Lucile Simpson, aid in the division, has been engaged in checking 

 and placing in final museum form the extensive collections of tlie 

 Lower Cretaceous plants, ]3articularly those from the Potomac 

 group. 



An attempt has been made in the department to arouse an inter- 

 est, or better, to cater to an interest already existing, in the his- 

 tory of the progress of the science of geology and personnel. With 

 this end in view, portraits of the principal early workers, together 

 with their more important publications, particularly text books, 

 have been installed in flat-top cases at the north end of the geo- 

 logical hall on the first floor. This hall- has been f urtlier improved 

 in conformity with the department's policy of open installation, 

 by removing all large cases from the center aisle and replacing 

 'hem with the low, flat-top forms, thus giving an uninterrupted 

 riew of the entire length of the hall. Aside from this, the rear- 

 rangement of many of the exhibits has greatly added to the im- 

 pressiveness of their appearance. 



A portion of the time of the curator and assistant curators in 

 paleontology has been devoted to the preparation of lectures and 

 motion-picture work illustrating the activities of the Museum. In 

 accordance with a request of those interested in the work of the 

 Young Men's Christian Association, lectures were prepared illus 

 trative of the ancient life of North America as revealed in the col- 

 lections of the Museum. The scenario of an educational moA'ing 

 picture illustrating the earliest known life forms, the film being 

 based on the Secretary's w^ork in the panadian Rockies, was pre- 

 pared by Curator Bassler. This film received wide circulation 

 through the Universal Screen Magazine. 



