44 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1910. 



in previous years, seems to indicate that the original mammal fauna 

 of the region differed somewhat from the present one. JVIr. A. C. 

 Weed, aid in the division of fishes, made a collecting trip to Sodus 

 Bay, New York, as explained elsewhere. 



Preparation of speciTnens. — There has been necessity for some 

 changes in the shops used for the preparation of specimens of zoology, 

 due partly to the abandonment of the rented quarters south of the 

 Mall, and partly to the greatly increased amount of work to be pro- 

 vided for in building up the exliibition collections under the new 

 conditions. This was accomplished by assigning to osteology an 

 additional room in the shed south of the Smithsonian building, and 

 temporarily to taxidermy a part of the southeast range in the older 

 Museum building, which has been suitably inclosed. 



One of the prmcipal problems of the year was the preservation 

 of the many large skins from the African expedition, which were 

 received in pickle but could not safely be allowed to remain long 

 in that medium. It was therefore decided to tan them, and, as the 

 Museum has no facilities for that kind of work, it was arranged to have 

 it done by contract. The results have so far been very satisfactory. 



The work of the preparators is under the direct charge of the chief 

 of exhibits. Dr. James E. Benedict. With the changes inaugurated 

 during the year, the chief taxidermist, Mr. G. B. Tiu-ner, was relieved 

 of the miscellaneous work wliich has hitherto occupied much of his 

 attention, and he and his immediate assistants are now giving prac- 

 tica.lly all of their time to mounting for exhibition. Only one speci- 

 men from the African expedition, a cheetah, was completed for this 

 purpose, but a model in clay for a group of lions from the same collec- 

 tion was prepared. Among mammals from other sources mounted 

 were a takin or Chinese antelope, an African bush pig, a black leopard, 

 and a number of small Old World mammals needed to fill gaps in 

 the faunal series. The time of the bird taxidermist, Mr. N. R. Wood, 

 was fully taken up in the mounting and remounting of bird skins for 

 exhibition and the preparation of skins for the study series. In 

 osteology a large amount of work was also accomplished, including 

 the cleaning of skeletons and skulls, and the mounting of some skele- 

 tons for exhibition. 



The exhihition collections. — Included m the moving from the older 

 buildings were the exhibition collections of mollusks, insects, fishes, 

 reptiles and batrachians, and Old World mammals, but as none 

 of the new halls could be fitted up in time, these exhibits were still 

 inaccessible to the public at the close of the year. The exhibits 

 remaining in the old quarters consisted of the bhds and marine 

 invertebrates in the Smithsonian buildmg, and the American mam- 

 mals and osteological specimens in the Museum building. The 



