JAN 16 1902 



REPORT. 



THE hope expressed in the previous Report that this Museum 

 might soon make independent collec5lions on the islands of the 

 Pacific has been agreeably fulfilled during the past year by the 

 expedition of Mr. Alvin Scale to Guam of the Marianas. By the 

 courtesy of the United States War Department passage was allowed 

 on a transport and for several months Mr. Scale industriously col- 

 lected in various departments. The result will be seen farther on 

 in this Report. With this exception the additions to the collec1;ions 

 in the Museum have not been large, as until the Hawaiian Hall is 

 ready for occupancy there is no room available for storage. 



The room formerly devoted to the principal Hawaiian collec- 

 tion has been entirely remodeled. The cases removed and the floor 

 replaced by concrete and mosaic tiling have left the hall ready for 

 new cases, which are sadly needed, and have provided an effecflual 

 safeguard against the inroads of the termites. The fine Hawaiian 

 Hall which has been long in construcflion is now completed and 

 seems admirably adapted to its purpose, but as no cases have yet 

 been provided it stands empty and unused. In the meantime the 

 Hawaiian colledlions have for the most part been stored, some are 

 on exhibition in the Hawaiian Vestibule in temporary cases, but 

 all are suffering for want of proper cases. In a tropical climate a 

 tight and insect-proof case is one of the most important desiderata 

 of a Museum, and it is useless to accumulate specimens without 

 first providing proper cases for their preservation if not for their 

 exhibition. 



While no especial attempt, except in the Guam expedition, has 

 been made to increase the colleclions, much work has been done 

 in revising the catalogues, especiallv the card catalogue which is 



(3) 



