REPORT OF XATIOXAL, MUSEUM, 1923. 5 



Asiatic region as a means of a better understanding of the North 

 American fauna. Important gaps in the South American series were 

 filled by Dr. Hugh M. Smith, and desirable material resulted from 

 the trips of Dr. Leonard Stejneger to the Commander Islands and of 

 Dr, Paul Bartsch to the West Indies. 



The explorations of Dr. C. D. Walcott in the Canadian Rockies 

 were productive of much valuable geological and some biological 

 material. The botanical and herpetological series were augmented 

 by Dr. W. L. Abbott's visit to the Dominican Eepublic, and one 

 of the largest and most important botanical collections ever ob- 

 tained from Colombia was the result of a cooperative expedition in 

 which the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, the New York Bo- 

 tanical Garden, Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, and the 

 National Museum joined. 



The paleontological collection of the late Orestes St. John, princi- 

 pally fossil fishes and many of them types, donated by Dr. Frank 

 Springer, adds material of incalculable value for the specialist who 

 may take up the study of this group. The residuary portion of 

 the collection of the late R. D. Lacoe comprising some 10.000 speci- 

 mens chiefly fossil plants was presented by his heirs, together with 

 Mr. Lacoe's paleontological library. Mrs. L. A. Coonley Ward 

 donated the residuary portion of the meteorite collection of the late 

 Prof. H. A. Ward, furnishing material for studj^ and exchange. The 

 meteorite collection was further built up by 13 accessions of 

 meteorites mostly new to the series here. 



The economic geological collections have benefited by the con- 

 tinued activities of Mr. Victor C. Heikes. Of the additions to the 

 mineralogical collections mention should be made of a large bouldei" 

 of jade received from Col. W. B. Thompson, an unusually fine speci- 

 men of crystallized descloizite from Southwest Africa, 60 minerals 

 new to the collection, and several cut gems of unusual quality and 

 size purchased by means of the Frances Lea Chamberlain Fund. 

 Foreign paleontological material was contributed by Dr. E. O. 

 Ulrich, from northern Europe ; Mr. Stephen R. Capps, from Pales- 

 tine; various oil companies and private collectors from Mexico, 

 Central and South America, Mr. Edwin A. Walford of England 

 and by various universities and institutions in Europe. Desirable 

 material also resulted from paleontological field work carried on by 

 Dr. R. S. Bassler in Tennessee, and Dr. C. E. Resser in Virginia, 

 as well as by Doctor Walcott in the Canadian Rockies, mentioned 

 above. 



Series of specimens of pyraline, bakelite, condensite, and cellulose 

 acetate show the manufacture of these products of modern chemical 



