DIVISION OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY GILMORE 315 



section under the Division of Stratigraphic Paleontology, but with 

 no change in personnel. 



The rapid growth of the collection, incident to the receipt of the 

 Marsh collections from New Haven, and the death of Professor 

 Marsh iji 1899 led to the appointment of F. A. Lucas as acting curatoi- 

 in 1901, a position he held until his resignation from the Museum staff 

 in 1904, From that time until 1908 the collections were administered 

 by Dr. George P. Merrill, head curator of geology. 



In 1898 J. AY. Coleman and in 1900 Alban Stewart were employed 

 as ])reparators, being the fii'st paid employees to devote all their time 

 to the preparation of vertebrate fossils. On account of failing health 

 Coleman resigned in June 1903, and Stewart severed his connection 

 with the Museum in the spring of 1904. In the meantime, through 

 the energetic interest of Dr. Merrill, James W. Gidley (1905) and 

 Charles W. Gilmore (1903) were employed as preparators, and 

 Norman H. Boss (1904) as assistant prejiarator. The first men- 

 tioned came from the American Museum of Natural History, New 

 York City, the other two from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, 

 Pa., all men with previous experience in paleontologic work. 



In 1908 there was a further change in the organization of the 

 Department of Geology, when three divisions corresponding to former 

 sections were substituted for the Division of Stratigraphic Paleontol- 

 ogy. The administration of the Division of Vertebrate Paleontology 

 was divided, James W. Gidley becoming custodian of the mammalian 

 collection and Charles W. Gilmore custodian of the reptilian collection. 



On June 16, 1911, the Division of Vertebrate Paleontology again 

 became a section of the Division of Paleontology, administered by 

 Dr. Ray S. Bassler. In March of this same year Thomas J. Home, an 

 experienced preparator and ironworker from the American Museum 

 of Natural History, was added to the staff. 



On June 30, 1924, the final change was made in the organization, 

 which has since been known as the Division of Vertebrate Paleontol- 

 ogy, with Charles W. Gilmore as curator and James W. Gidley as 

 assistant curator, Norman H. Boss as chief preparator, Thomas J.. 

 Home as preparator, and John M. Barrett as junior scientific aide.. 

 This staff continued intact until the death of Dr. Gidley on September 

 26, 1931. He was succeeded by Dr. C. Lewis Gazin on March 1, 1932.. 

 Mr. Barrett reached retirement age on March 1, 1936, and was suc- 

 ceeded in August 1936 by Henry Comack, who resigned on June 30j. 

 1937. This position was again filled by the appointment of William 

 E. Moran in June 1938. 



In the 42 years that paid personnel has been engaged in fossil 

 vertebrate work in the National Museum, 28 persons have been em- 

 ployed, of which only 14 were on a permanent status. All. others 



