REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 37 



The work of completing- the exhibition series in several of the divi- 

 sions of the Department of Biology, and of improving their appearance 

 by changes in methods of installation, has been vigorously pushed. 

 Progress in this regard was most noticeable in the halls devoted to 

 mammals, marine invertebrates, insects, and fishes. About 200 case 

 labels have been added to the exhibits of mammals, birds, reptiles, 

 batrachians, insects, and the lower inv^ertebrates, and a series of case 

 labels for the collection of comparative anatomy has been completed. 



The interiors of the wall-cases, in the galleries of the south hall 

 containing Old World mammals, have been repainted in a color simi- 

 lar to that used in the corresponding cases on the main floor, and this 

 change has resulted in displaying the specimens to much better 

 advantage. A similar change has also been made in regard to the 

 floor cases in the gallery containing small mammals. Three new 

 cases have been constructed against the south wall of this hall. One 

 contains the North American weasels and related forms; the two 

 others, the smaller South American mammals. The cases on the 

 main floor of the south hall have been furnished with new fittings, so 

 that they are now uniform in design and color. The labeling of the 

 American small mammals has been greatly improved, while the labels 

 for the Old World series have been revised and very largely replaced 

 with new ones. 



Considerable improvement has been made in the appearance of the 

 exhibition of marine invertebrates, which occupies the west hall in the 

 Smithsonian building. The interior of all the wall-cases has been 

 repainted in black, as furnishing a better background for the corals 

 and sponges than the maroon formerly employed. The display of 

 insects in the next adjoining hall or corridor has been enlarged by 

 extensive additions to the systematic series of North American insects, 

 which it is hoped to complete during the coming j^ear. 



The wall cases in the south-east range of the Museum building have 

 been reconstructed, and the systematic collection of casts of North 

 American fishes has been rearranged and installed to much better 

 advantage than formerly. A number of casts of large and striking- 

 species have been repaired and repainted. The labeling of the casts 

 of reptiles and batrachians exhibited in floor cases in the same range 

 has also been largely revised. 



The bird groups displayed in the main hall of the Smithsonian 

 building, sixteen in number, have been partly renovated, and one of 

 them, consisting of three fine specimens of the Argus pheasant, pre- 

 sented to the Museum some years age by Dr. W. L. Abbott, has been 

 entirely remounted, making it the most striking feature of the room. 



Many important changes have been made in the halls containing the 

 geological collections. The exhibit of geographic ores in the south- 

 west court has been carefull}" overhauled, the cases being thoroughly 



