92 REPORT OF NATIONAL. MUSEUM, 1923. 



separation of the large collections received during the year; in the 

 translation from the French and preparation of the English manu- 

 script of a work on the Philippine Bryozoa ; and in proof reading and 

 indexing papers in course of publication. 



in the Secretary's laboratory the new collections resulting from 

 his field season of 1922 were worked up, and preliminary identifica- 

 tions made. Additions to the Mesozoic and Cenozoic collections 

 have been cared for as usual by Drs. T. W. Stanton, W. H. Dall, 

 T. W. Vaughan, and their assistants. 



Work on the post-Paleozoic fossil plants, under the direction of 

 Dr. F. H. Knowlton, has been concentrated on the Early Tertiary 

 forms, the study of the numerous collections from these formations 

 resulting in their condensation and the elimination of waste mate- 

 rial. From the very nature of their occurrence, fossil plants require 

 much storage space and it is no inconsiderable task to keep it within 

 reasonable limits. The Mesozoic plants under study by Dr. Arthur 

 Hollick have likewise been placed in better form for final preserva- 

 tion by his work of the year. The condensation and arrangement 

 of the large collections of Proterozoic algae transferred to the Mu- 

 seum by Secretary Walcott constituted the chief work on the Paleo- 

 zoic plants accomplished by Drs. Bassler and Resser. 



In addition to work on the exhibition specimens mentioned above, 

 the force in the laboratory of vertebrate paleontology has been en- 

 gaged as follows: Mr. Boss mounted two long-beaked cetaceatn 

 skulls, representing undescribed species; has made good progress in 

 the preparation of the large slab of rhinoceros bones collected by 

 Doctor Gidley in Nebraska ; has prepared several smaller specimens ; 

 made moulds and casts of fossil bird types; and assisted in the reno- 

 vation, rearrangement, and installation of specimens. Thomas 

 Home has been fully occupied throughout the entire year in the res- 

 toration and mounting of a mastodon skeleton from Arizona, consid- 

 erable progress having been made on the mount, which should be 

 completed early in the coming year ; and John Barrett has been en- 

 gaged in various pieces of preparatory work, also assisting the pre- 

 parators when needed. 



Preparator Warner has, as heretofore, been occupied in the work 

 of cutting and polishing specimens for exhibition and cutting thin 

 sections for study. 



Present condition of the collections. — ^Although changes in the 

 exhibits have been few, the scope of the collections is broadened 

 by each addition, hence they may be said to have been improved. 

 The same is true of the study series. The exhibits are kept clean 

 and well labeled, although many of the labels are but temporary. 

 The study collections have been cleaned so far as help was available 

 to do this work. Dust will accumulate despite all precautions, and 

 during the year fully 10,000 drawers were gone over with the 



