Jan., 192 1. Ax'xuAL Rzpoix or thz DrREcroa. 395 



these were thoroug^bly overhauled and stooit fastenings provided- Also, 

 from fourteen of the cases in Frederick J. V. Skiff Hall the btiriap Hnings 

 wbkh had become torn and disooks^ from long u^ge, were removed 

 azid new, fr^hly dressed linings stibstitn-Ded. Bl-ocks ntrmbering 2,600 

 used for mounting individual specimens and various other mounts used 

 in this haU were also repainted and the shelves of many of the cases 

 were braced with strong wooden supports so as to guard against possitle 

 breakage of the shelves from the weight of specimens. A large number 

 of other supports or fixtures, such as easels, frames, pedestals, etc, used 

 in this and other "HhH'^ of the department were also repainted. 



The space assigned for the exhibition cases of the def^artment in 

 the new building consists of five halls on the second flixir of the western 

 section of the building. Four of these halls, 180 ft. by 4^ ft., in dirDen- 

 asBL, have their greatest length in an east and west direction and one, 

 317 ft. by 48 ft., has a principal north and south range. Of the four halls 

 extending east and west, that on the north side of the building con- 

 tains the s\-stematic collectaoai of minerals, the meteorite collecticn and 

 part of a collection illustrating ph3rsical geology. The systematic 

 nnnoal ocdlectkHi occupies the eastern h alf of the haH. It is installed 

 in 32 cases, 16 of which are of a sloping-top type and 16 of a tall, upright 

 tvpe. The cases are arranged on either side of the haH so as to form 

 al?c ve? . each alcove esc^t the first being bounded by a tall case 'Du each 

 i-iz a.i:i containing adoping-top case in the center. ZiiJi ilcove is 

 irrelve feet deep and including the side cases, fonrteei feet wide. Each 

 is Hghted by a pair of windows at CHie end. The sides of the alcoves are 

 niade by the tail cases bang placed at right angles to the length of the 

 hall, one end of each resting against a pilaster of the wall between the 

 windows. A broad, middle aisle sixteen feet in width permits free passage 

 throogji the coiter of the hall. The mineral coilection is arranged in 

 tibese casK according to the order of Dana's system, a number on the 

 label of each spedtnesi showing the position of the specimen in the sys- 

 tem. For the mc^ part., ihe large specimens are shown in the tall cases 

 at the sides of the alcoves and the smaller specimens in the lower, central 

 cases. The re-instaUation of this collection was completed during the 

 year, ^the ^leciinens bdng for the most part installed in the positions 

 and cases which they had occupied in the old building, but some altera- 

 tions necessitated by changes of orientation of the cases were made . The 

 total number of specrmeis now on display in this collection is 4.470. 

 In the re-installation of all the collectiaQS of the department, the system 

 of TTgrrirrng described in a previous report, by which the position of each 

 spedmen in installation was iodicated by a label wrapped with the 

 specimen, proved ctf great a^stanoe in securing rapid and accurate 



