APPENDIX TO SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



Appendix I. 

 THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The detailed report of the Assistant Secretary in charge, upon the operations of 

 the Museum for the year will be published as Part n of the Report of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. I shall here speak of only the more important matters. 



Additions to the collections. — The additions to all departments of the Museum dur- 

 ing the year number 82,148 specimens. These were for the most part miscellaneous 

 in character, and, while valuable in themselves, did not tend to so large an extent 

 to supply gaps in the various series as would be the case were larger funds avail- 

 able for purchases. Important collections made by the U. S. Geological Survey, U. 

 S. Fish Commission, and several other bureaus of the Government, in connection 

 with their regular work, have been transmitted to the Museum. With the care of 

 such^collections the Museum is charged by act of Congress. 



A table showing the number of specimens now in each department of the Museum 

 and for each year since 1882 accompanies the report of the Assistant Secretary 

 which has been already referred to. 



The scientific staff. — The number of scientific departments in the Museum remains 

 the same as last year, and few changes in the personnel have been made. Mr. Fred- 

 erick W. True, curator of mammals, has been designated "Curator-in- charge" and 

 acts as the executive officer of the Museum, in the absence of the Assistant Secretary. 



The proportion of honorary curators remains the same as last year. About five- 

 sevenths of the departments are presided over by unpaid officers who are officially 

 attached to other departments and bureaus of the Government, especially the U.S. 

 Geological Survey and the U. S. Fish Commission. This arrangement is in the interest 

 of economy, but it is not conducive to the general welfare of the Museum that the 

 proportion should be so large as at present, since the necessity of devoting most of 

 their time to other matters makes it impossible for the honorary curators to advance 

 the work of their departments as they could if they were attached to the Museum 

 alone. 



Distribution of specimens. — It has for many years been customary to distribute to 

 educational establishments, as far as practicable, the duplicate material separated 

 from the Museum collections. This has been possible hitherto, as a part of the 

 systematic operations of the Museum, only in the case of fishes, marine invertebrates- 

 rocks, minerals, ami casts of prehistoric implements, although special collections 

 have occasionally been prepared to meet special needs. A large number of sets of 

 rocks and minerals have been sent out during the year. During the two decades 

 from 1871 to 1890 about 278,000 specimens in all were distributed. The duplicates in 

 other departments of the Museum are being arranged in sets for distribution as fast 

 as the facilities at the disposal of the curators permit. 



During the year ending June 30, 1893, the number of specimens sent out in 

 exchange or distributed to educational institutions was 13,581. 



Visitors.— The total number of visitors to the Smithsonian building during the year 

 was 174. 1S8. and to the Museum building 319,930, giving a total of 494,188 persons who 



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