30 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1905. 



The number of accessions received annually since 1881 is as follows: 



GENERAL WORK UPON THE COLLECTIONS. 



It is difficult to differentiate between the several classes of work 

 upon the collections since they gradate one into the other. The 

 subjects of classification or research and the installation of the 

 exhibition series are treated of under their respective headings. 

 This chapter relates to the general care of the collections, the prepa- 

 ration and preservation of specimens, their arrangement in reference 

 or study series and in safe storage, their labeling, recording and 

 cataloguing, the sorting out and packing of duplicates, all of which 

 involve an endless amount of patient labor. 



Of the reserve collections in the two main buildings it may be said 

 that, in a general way, they are in as fair and safe condition as the 

 circumstances permit. In large part they are moderately easy of 

 access, but the quarters in which they are stored are mostly crude, 

 antiquated and dark, very inconvenient and very greatly over- 

 crowded. It is, however, to be remembered that for a very large 

 proportion of the national collections there is no room in the main 

 buildings, and they have to be packed away in several insecure 

 rented structures, which are already filled to the roof timbers and so 

 compactly that no particular object could be found or removed. 



