132 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



cases are crowded so fully tliat no e£fective display can be made until 

 the cases in the eastern gallery are emptied of the osteological collec- 

 tion which they now contain. The cases in this hall are all old and 

 somewhat unsuitable, and it is hoped that before long they may be re- 

 constructed. The number of mounted specimens is so great that their 

 rearrangement is an undertaking of great magnitude, especially since 

 it involves the transfer of a large proportion of them from the old fash- 

 ioned white perches, to which they are now fastened, to the improved 

 pattern recently adopted. It also involved the rewriting and reprinting 

 of a majority of the exhibition labels, changes in ornithological nomen- 

 clature having of late years been very considerable. Rearrangement, 

 therefore, means an immense amount of work, and Mr. Ridgway has 

 refrained from undertaking it until the whole of the hall assigned to 

 ornithology shall be at his disposal. The birds in the exhibition cases 

 are, however, arranged iu systematic order, with the exception of those 

 in one case. Much has been done also in the way of weeding out from 

 the exhibition series surplus specimens and those which are faded or 

 badly mounted, the latter being replaced by newly-mounted speci- 

 mens of excellent workmanship. It is but fair to say that the curator 

 of birds would have accomplished much more in this department of his 

 work, had not the fitting up of the new Museum absorbed so much of 

 the time of our force of mechanics and preparators. 



His time has been no less usefully spent in the rearrangement of the 

 study series, which is nearly eight times as large as that upon exhibi- 

 tion. This series is arranged in " Salvin " cabinets and other recepta- 

 cles in the southern half of the west basement and in the two upper 

 rooms of the south tower, the lower of which has since 1870 been used 

 by the curator of birds for a Iti boratory. The necessary inspection of 

 the collections occupies much time, since they fill 347 drawers, in which 

 they are often arranged in small trays, three or more layers deep. An 

 important improvement introduced into this' department has been to 

 line the drawers containing the birds with heavy carbolized paper, as 

 l^rotection against insects. This same carbolized paper of thinner text- 

 ure has been used to great advantage in wrapping and packing skins 

 sent in by collectors from remote localities, especially when part of the 

 transportation has been bj^ sea. 



The collection of eggs which, as is well known, is, so far as ISTorth 

 American species are concerned, the most complete iu the world, is 

 stored in various receptacles in the west basement and in the drawers 

 of table cases in the ornithological hall. Plans are being made for new 

 cabinets, in which this great collection shall be arranged. 



Mr. Eidgway makes the following report upon the present condition 

 and general needs of the collection : 



Number of specimens. — Tlie collections belonging to the department of birds are at 

 present divided into nine separate lots or series as follows : 

 1. The reserve series of smaller North American birds, including the orders Passeres 



