Oct. 1896. A\ni \i. Report of the Director. 103 



dition that will be illustrated from photographs taken on the trip. In 

 the past winter, G. K. Cherrie, Assistant Curator of Ornithology, 

 spent three months collecting bird skins along the Gulf Coast between 

 New Orleans and Corpus Christi, Texas. Nearly one thousand skins 

 were added to the North American division of this Department. Mr. 

 Cherrie has also made a number of excursions in the vicinity of 

 Chicago collecting local material. Miner W. Bruce arrived May 

 7th from Alaska after nearly two years absence, with a collec- 

 tion of 1,200 or more specimens illustrating the arts and industries of 

 the Eskimo of Alaska. He has returned again to the North with a 

 commission to add further material and to extend his work into 

 Siberia. During the past year, E. H. Thompson became asso- 

 ciated with the Department of Anthropology and was assigned to 

 work in Mexico. He has made a report on the recently examined 

 ruins of Xkichmook, accompanied by specimens and photographs. 

 He is now studying and mapping the ruins of Chichen-Itza, conclud- 

 ing which he will make investigations among the Mayas. President 

 Ayer passed the winter in Egypt adding much valuable material 

 to the archeologic collections from that country. He also secured 

 numerous articles in bronze and glass from Italy, representing the 

 culture of the ancient Romans. Vice-President Ryerson and Mr. C. 

 L. Hutchinson, on their trip around the world, procured and pre- 

 sented to the Museum a large and unique amount of material, 

 including Etruscan and Stone Age remains from Italy, Roman terra 

 cottas, metal and stone work from the Indies, and butterflies from 

 the Himalayas. Mr. Owen F. Aldis invited O. P. Hay, Assistant 

 Curator of Ichthyology to accompany him on an excursion to the 

 waters of Southern Florida. Nearly one hundred fine specimens 

 were obtained, several of which, including a splendid tarpon, have 

 been mounted. This contribution to the material of this division of 

 Zoology has added much to the appearance of Hall 22. 



Installation, Re-Arrangement and Permanent Improvements. — 

 Estimated by its cost, the largest amount of material improvement 

 has been made on the Building itself. By order of the Executive 

 Committee, experts were secured to make recommendations that as 

 far as possible would insure the safety and stability of the Building 

 for at least five years. Acting upon these reports, the Executive 

 Committee appointed a sub-committee, consisting of Mr. Owen F. 

 Aldis and the Director to execute the recommendations of these 

 experts, modified in such directions as the judgment of this sub-com- 

 mittee might dictate. The repairs to the Building consisted in tin- 

 ning and painting the roof, strengthening the main floor, putting in 



