REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY, 71 



Purchases of plants to the amount of $1,000 were made during- tlie 

 3"ear. The most important items were continuations of the California 

 collections of Mr. A. A. Heller (1,055 specimens) and the Nevada col- 

 lection of Prof. C. F. Baker (481 specimens). Other purchases were 

 as follows: Plants in the United States (3,223 specimens), viz, Maine 

 (639), California and Arizona (989), Georgia (497), Ohio (405), Missis- 

 sippi (693); plants from Central and South America, viz, Mexico (296), 

 Costa Rica (452), Venezuela (256). 



Of the plants transmitted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 during the 3"ear, the most important are the collections of Messrs. 

 F. A. Walpole and W. W. Gorman from Alaska (1,323 specimens) and 

 those of Messrs. F. V. Coville, V. K. Chesnut, David Griffiths, and 

 others, from Washington, Oregon, and California (1,368 specimens). 



WORK ON THE STUDY SERIES. 



In the Division of Mammals about 3,000 skulls of small species were 

 cleaned during the .year, two-thirds of which were those belonging to 

 specimens in the collection of the Biological Survey, U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture. All the large skulls of the regular Museum series, 

 with the exception of about 100, have been cleaned, but about 1,500 

 small skulls still need cleaning. Little could be done toward continu- 

 ing the rearrangement of the skins of small species for lack of room 

 and cases, but the work of making ov^er skins which were deteriorating 

 on account of faulty preparation progressed satisfactoril}', about 400 

 skins having been renovated during- the year. It is a cause of much 

 regret that nothing could be done toward improving the condition of 

 the large skins in vats and in the cases of the upper .laborator}-, many 

 of which are in imminent danger of destruction. There are known to 

 be from 1,000 to 1,500 of the size of a wolf and upward which need 

 attention. Some of these are large antelopes and other important 

 mammals which are now difficult to obtain. The collection of mam- 

 mals in alcohol was thoroughly overhauled, and is in an excellent con- 

 dition as regards both preservation and arrangement. The large 

 storage case behind the wall case in the South Hall, used for the storage 

 of mammal skulls, was roofed over to exclude dust, and provided with 

 shelving. It is intended to fit the alcoves with standard racks and 

 drawers next year for the better installation of the valuable series of 

 skulls kept there. 



The laboratories of the Division of Birds are much overcrowded, 

 and many devices have to be resorted to in order to accommodate the 

 collections. It has been found necessary to place different parts of 

 the collections in rooms widely separated, which greatly increases the 

 difficulties of admhiistration. Some little improvement was made in 

 the arrangement of the collection of large birds in the west basement, 

 but progress was slow on account of insufficient help and space. It is 



