46 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 192 8 



ant. Incomplete reports to date indicate the finding of valuable 

 material. As the expedition will continue into the next fiscal year, 

 a detailed report will be given later. 



Exploratory work in the Pleistocene was again taken up by Dr. 

 J. W. Gidley at Melbourne and other localities in Florida. The 

 expedition, which covered a little more than two months, was made 

 possible through the generosity of Mr. Childs Frick, who furnished 

 half of the funds necessary for carrying on the work, the remainder 

 coming from the Smithsonian Institution. Doctor Gidley was as- 

 sisted by Mr. C. P. Singleton, of Melbourne. Two principal prob- 

 lems involved in this research included the further search for evidence 

 on the contemporaneity of man with an extinct fauna in Florida, a 

 much-disputed question, and the collection of additional material for 

 the purpose of fixing more definitely the age of this fauna. The 

 results in both cases are regarded as highly satisfactory. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT 



Minor repairs of various kinds have been required to keep the 

 buildings housing the Museum in proper condition during the year. 

 In the Natural History Building, woodwork of windows on the 

 ground and third floors was repainted, and the interior woodw^ork 

 on windows on the third floor was refinished. The ceiling and 

 walls in the bird range were pointed up and painted, and wooden 

 floors in rooms occupied by the division of mammals and the Bio- 

 logical Survey and in the office of the assistant secretary were refin- 

 ished. Tin-lined gutters on the roofs were given a coat of metallic 

 and oil paint; broken glass in various windows was replaced; wooden 

 ladders Avere installed for use in inspecting the walls supporting the 

 dome on the attic floor, and down pipes leading from the roof were 

 repaired. 



In the Arts and Industries Building metal roofs were repainted, 

 ventilating windows were repaired and provided with screens, and 

 wooden window frames and sash recoated with lead and oil paint. 

 The southwest range was repainted, as well as the gallery, and an 

 iron-pipe railing installed on the latter to replace a temporary guard 

 rail formerly in use. The composition floor of the reading room 

 in the library was covered with cork carpet. A wire screen parti- 

 tion was built on the third floor of the northeast pavilion to pre- 

 vent unauthorized persons from entering the Mechanical Technology 

 Laboratory; a concrete floor was laid about the mine exhibit in 

 the southwest pavilion; and sheet-iron hoods were made for radi- 

 ators in the Lace Hall to protect the walls from accumulation of dirt. 



In the Smithsonian Building a hot-water system was installed; 

 stairs leading to the comfort rooms were repaired; the doors in the 

 disbursing agent's ofiice were remodeled ; the east entrance vestibule 



