EEPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 123 



three of the departments of the Museum that attempted any regular 

 distribution of specimens, viz : 



Specimens. 



Department of birds 32 packages, 597 species 892 



Department of Invertebrates .. 30 packages 9, 98& 



Department of minerals 30 packages, 793 species 995 



A total of 92 packages 11,873- 



There were also sent from the Museum to individuals and collectors in the 

 field 312 packages, consisting of single specimens, small lots, and collecting 

 materials, aggregating 518 specimens 518 



Making in all 12,391 



During the year, 102 applications for specimens were received from 

 museums, schools, and individuals ; and of these and previous applica- 

 tions on file, 98 have been supplied in whole or in part. 



The total number of specimens distributed prior to the close of 1882 is 

 about 435,000. 



Property and Supplies. — Operations in this department have been 

 greatly facilitated during the year by the introduction of two impor- 

 tant measures. 



There is now only one order-book, which is kept in the ofl&ce of the 

 Assistant Director, and no supplies, however small, can be obtained 

 without the filing of a formal requisition specifying the probable cost of 

 the articles required. The requisitions approved are numbered to corre- 

 spond with the serial numbers in the order-book, and are filed away for 

 reference. Every expenditure is thus placed on record, and the sum 

 total of the prices entered on the order-book, together with the amount 

 of the regular pay-roll, will, at the end of any month, indicate exactly 

 the amount of liabilities for the month. A requisition for the hire of 

 a laborer for half a day is treated in the same manner as that for a 

 large order of goods. 



In addition to this, a property clerk has been appointed to take the 

 charge of unpacking and cataloguing every article of furniture or supply 

 received, of issuing the same upon ''house requisitions," and of prepar- 

 ing a semi-annual report, thereby relieving the Superintendent of the 

 labor and responsibility of this work. 



Mr. C. W. Schuermann was appointed property clerk on July 1, 1882,. 

 and has been efficient in his work. He has submitted perfect invento- 

 ries of all articles in the several buildings, and also statements of the 

 exact quantity of each kind of article received during the year, bal- 

 anced by a report of the quantity of each article now in stock and the 

 exact disposition of such articles as have been issued upon requisition. 



The property clerk has also been charged with the duty of inspect- 

 ing and reporting upon each article of furniture and all supplies jiur-^ 

 chased for the Museum. 



Accounts. — As heretofore, all accounts have been administered under 

 the direction of the Chief Clerk of the Smithsonian Institution, and all 



