REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 63 



cases, for the most part, contain corals, it was decided to use black for 

 the backg^roiind as best suited to bring- the specimens into relief. The 

 corals and sponges were rearranged and some specimens added to the 

 general North American series. 



In the insect hall the exhibit of North American species was extended 

 by the addition of representatives of the orders Lepidoptera, Euplex- 

 optera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera. 



Aftef the collection of fishes exhibited at the Pan-American Expo- 

 sition, Buffalo, 1901, was returned, a reclassification of all the casts 

 was made, the series being divided into two sections — marine fishes 

 and fresh-water fishes. The cases standing against the walls were 

 reconstructed and furnished with large glass and paneled bases, so as 

 to present a uniform appearance around the hall. A large shark and 

 several other fishes of ver}' large size were placed on top of the cases 

 and provided with new framed labels. The descriptive labels used at 

 Buffalo were mounted on standards of uniform design and placed 

 beside the species to which they refer. The series now exhibited, aside 

 from the small representation of deep-sea fishes, is entirely North 

 American. While it is desired to exhibit various series from other 

 parts of the world, there is not suflicient room for this purpose in the 

 present quarters. For this reason the South American fishes preserved 

 in formalin have been temporarilj^ withdrawn. These preparations 

 were in quite good condition when last examined, but they are not 

 entirely satisfactory for exhibition on account of the bleaching of the 

 colors, dullness of the eyes, etc. Experiments were made during the 

 year in casting from formalin specimens. The results were quite satis- 

 factory, and it is believed that a series of casts made in this way and 

 painted might prove best for a permanent exhibit. A number of 

 molds of fishes and some casts of large fishes, which have been used by 

 the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries in connection with 

 various expositions, were transferred to the Museum by the Commis- 

 sioner. Several of these casts were repaired and placed on exhibition, 

 as already mentioned. 



All the labels for the reptiles and batrachians were reprinted in the 

 same style as the mammal labels, the object being to have all the faunal 

 labels uniform as regards matter and general appearance. Instead of 

 the particular locality in which a specimen exhibited was obtained, 

 these labels contain a brief statement of the geographical range of the 

 species represented, together of course with the common and scientific 

 names, the catalogue number of the specimen, and in the case of gifts, 

 the name of the donors. Specimens received from Government sur- 

 vevs are labeled with the names of the organizations which transmitted 

 them. 



Few changes of importance were made in connection with the 

 exhibits of birds and mollusks, but copy was prepared for new labels 

 for the entire North American series of birds. The labels had not 



