130 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1921. 



ferred to the Australian work, which brings the total of Doctor Ab- 

 bott's contributions for field-work to $27,000. Two important collec- 

 tions have been received recently — one of mammals, birds, and 

 reptiles from Siam, Annam, and Cochin China, a joint contribution 

 from Doctor Abbott and Mr. C. B. Kloss, who collected most of the 

 material; the other from South Australia, collected by Mr. Charles 



M. Hoy. 



Far East expedition. — This expedition was financed by the Rocke- 

 feller Foundation to the amount of $2,500. Early in 1920 Dr. Ales 

 Hrdlicka proceeded to Japan and China, to make anatomical studies 

 of the natives of those countries. 



Canadian expedition. — The secretary mentioned briefly his geo- 

 logical work during the past summer in Alberta, Canada, in connec- 

 tion with the Upper Cambrian formation of that region. 



FREER ESTATE MATTERS. 



The secretary brought to the board's attention the clauses in the 

 will of the late Charles L. Freer, providing funds for various pur- 

 poses in connection with the Freer Gallery of Art, and for the study 

 of the civilization of the Far East, and after full discussion resolu- 

 tions covering these matters were adopted by the board. . 



Mr. John E. Lodge, of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, had been 

 placed in charge of the Gallery, with Miss Katherine N. Rhoades as 

 temporary assistant. In view of the fact that they and their assist- 

 ants were responsible for the valuable collections now being un- 

 packed and distributed through the building, and that visitors seri- 

 ously interrupted their work, it seemed best to close the building en- 

 tirely to unauthorized visitors during the period of installation. 



Judge Gray offered the following resolution, which was adopted : 



Resolved, That the recommendation of the secretary that the Freer Building 

 be closed to visitors during the work of installation be approved by the Board 

 of Regents. 



NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART COMMISSION. 



The secretary said that in view of the steady growth of the Na- 

 tional Gallery of Art and the position which it should assume in the 

 development of the fine arts in America, the time had come to con- 

 sider the method of providing for its administration and develop- 

 ment. 



The officers of the Smithsonian Institution should not be burdened 

 with responsibility for the formulation of questions of policy as to 

 purchase and acceptance of art objects, utilization and exhibition of 

 collections, best methods of future development, securing of funds, 

 etc. There should be an advisory commission established by the 

 authority of the Board of Regents, which may consider not only the 



