REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, 

 By George P. Meebill, Eead Curator. 



The period covered by this report, as may be readily imagined, has 

 been anomalous in the history of the department. From the begin- 

 ning of the year until the April following, the exhibition halls were 

 closed to the public, a portion of the working force was either in 

 the Army or engaged in work incidental to the war, while the demand 

 for expert services was so great that it was found impossible to fill 

 important vacancies until after the declaration of the armistice in 

 November. Further than this, the distractions incidental and conse- 

 quential to this world-wide catastrophe naturally turned the atten- 

 tion of both the Museum workers and the world at large to purely 

 utilitarian matters, and the Museum suffered as a result. Neverthe- 

 less, in the quiet of the laboratories, workrooms, and offices much that 

 was of importance has been accomplished. 



General admirdstration of Jiead curator's office. — The routine of the 

 department has not changed materially since a report on this sub- 

 ject was first called for in 1912. Sundry instructions that have since 

 been issued seemingly make it desirable to repeat in substance what 

 was then given. 



All correspondence relating to official matters passes through the 

 office of the head curator, whence it is distributed to the proper divi- 

 sions or sections. This centralization has been found necessary to 

 avoid delays, duplication of work, and other undesirable results. In 

 like manner it has been found advisable that all papers relating to 

 materials pass into the hands of one individual who is made respon- 

 sible for the records. These include accessions, material for exam- 

 ination and report, and the invoicing and packing of all specimens 

 for distribution. This same individual, the recorder, performs or 

 supervises the mechanical work incidental to cataloguing for all divi- 

 sions of the department, thus having under observation all materials 

 from the time they are received in the department until their final 

 placement in the collection or return to the sender. This method, 

 it is found, assures a uniformity and degree of accuracy impossible 

 under the one-time prevalent system in which the head of each divi- 

 sion or section handled matters at his own convenience and after his 

 own methods. 



All letters containing requests for information and referred to the 

 department are likewise distributed from the head curator's office, to 

 143943°— 20 7 97 



