Jan., 1920 Annual Report op the Director. 325 



installation did not fall into orderly lines, sketches were made on cross- 

 section paper which showed in each case the amount and position of the 

 space occupied by each specimen; the spaces were then numbered and 

 corresponding numbers were wrapped with the specimens and penciled 

 on the labels. The sketch itself was then in each instance fastened inside 

 the corresponding case, so as to prevent its being transferred to any 

 other exhibit. Specimens mounted upon tablets, which include most of 

 the invertebrate fossils, were, for the most part, fastened securely in 

 drawers underneath the cases. Sketches of the positions of the tablets 

 in the cases were first made and nimibered and corresponding mmibers 

 were penciled on the reverse sides of the tablets. Upon the outside of all 

 packages and boxes containing specimens removed from cases, large 

 department labels similar to those fastened inside the exhibition cases 

 have been placed, giving the corresponding hall and case ntmibers, so as 

 to insure constant connection of the specimens with the case. There 

 is, further, painted on each package or box a brief label in the department 

 color which describes the nature of the contents. A record has also 

 been prepared in book form which shows in detail the numbers and forms 

 of the exhibition cases and in adjoining coltmms the halls and alcoves 

 in which the cases are to be placed. As containers for specimens to be 

 packed, boxes and barrels were chiefly used, boxes of the size 36 x 20 

 X 14" being found especially suitable. Several thousand cartons and 

 small wooden boxes were also employed, either as shipment tmits or for 

 enclosing individual specimens or groups of specimens in larger boxes. 

 Specimens which would be injured by moving in any other than an 

 upright position were fastened in the exhibition cases. The method 

 for fastening usually adopted was that of screwing metal studs into 

 the metal strips used for supporting brackets at the back of the case and 

 fastening wooden strips on the front of the studs in such a manner as to 

 firmly enclose the specimen and its accompaniment of packing mate- 

 rial. Other specimens of such shape that their transportation in 

 boxes would be unsafe, were similarly packed in the cases, and the speci- 

 men labels have generally been packed in the cases in which they were 

 originally exhibited. The packing of the fossil collections especially 

 called for varied handling according to weight, mass and fragility. Much 

 storage material which was still in the plaster and burlap wrapping in 

 which it came from the field, was packed in strong boxes of yi inch 

 lumber. The collections stored in wooden trays, consisting mostly of 

 specimens that had partially been removed from the matrix, were packed 

 in the trays. Specimens in smaller containers, such as paper trays, were 

 wrapped with the trays, each with its label enclosed, and the whole 

 packed snugly in wooden trays by the use of excelsior. These trays 



