32 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1956 



ing Yosemite Falls, a sacred ceremony in the Antelope Kiva of the 

 Hopi Indians, terrace farming among the Inca, and a camp scene 

 among the Yahgan Indians, the southernmost people in the world. 

 Wall cases display the basic economy of each culture, such as food, 

 clothing, shelter, and handicrafts. 



During the year the exhibits staff of the department of zoology com- 

 pleted the installation of the puma, Alaska wolf, pronghorn antelope, 

 and Virginia deer in the recently constructed display units. For the 

 bison group in this North American Mammal Hall, the Fish and Wild- 

 life Service provided three animals from the National Bison Range. 



In the hall devoted to birds, all construction work and one habitat 

 group depicting the bird life of the Antarctic were completed. Five 

 emperor and three Adelie penguins, a skua, a kelp gull, and a snow 

 petrel are included. The paintings on the backgrounds of five addi- 

 tional display units — the hoatzin, Carolina parakeet, bowerbird, 

 honeyguide, and palm chat — were practically finished at the close of 

 the fiscal year. The paintings of flying birds for the ceiling of this 

 hall were reported to be completed and the installation of exhibits in 

 some of the alcove cases was commenced. 



A special series of small exhibits of insects was prepared and placed 

 in the foyer of the Natural History Building. Notable among these is 

 an exhibit of Morpho butterflies, showing sexual dimorphism and the 

 contrast between physical and chemical coloration. The display tech- 

 nique developed by Thomas G. Baker of the exhibits staff should be 

 of decided interest to other museums because of its novelty and 

 effectiveness. 



Planning for the modernization of the geological exhibits has been 

 resumed. The general plans and layouts of the halls for minerals, 

 invertebrate fossils, and the lower vertebrate fossils have now been 

 determined. Preparation of the giant ground sloth material from 

 Panama has been completed, and two skeletons have been assembled 

 for mounting and installation in the exhibition hall. Changes in the 

 mineral exhibit consist of replacing specimens by finer examples as 

 they are acquired. 



The detailed planning of the Power Machinery Hall was completed 

 during the year, the plans and specifications were reviewed, and the 

 preparation of exhibits for installation was in progi'ess. The exhibits 

 in this hall will portray the story of the development of power ma- 

 chinery by using original macliines, models, and gi-aphic devices. 

 Several new models of pioneer power machines were constructed by 

 Donald II. Berkebile, modelmaker, in the exliibits workshop. The 

 actual construction of this hall will start shortly after the close of 

 this fiscal year. 



An outline of the plans for the Hall of Health was circulated to 

 professionally interested individuals and institutions for their com- 



