6 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



this evil, but as these were not satisfactory, Colonel Rockwell, the Su- 

 perintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds, very kindly undertook 

 the work as a part of the general improvement of the Smithsonian 

 reservation, which is in his charge. A trench was dug, and the water 

 carried northward instead of discharging into an already overtaxed 

 sewer on the south side of the building. No trouble has been ex- 

 perienced since the work was completed, and it is hoped that there will 

 be none at any time in the future. 



Armory Building. — This edifice has been used during the past year 

 mainly for the purposes of the United States Fish Commission. The 

 lower story has been converted into a fish-propagating establishment, 

 for the hatching of shad, salmon, and other food-fishes; and as a store- 

 bouse from which to distribute carp, black bass, &c. The second floor 

 is devoted to a series of offices, laboratories, and rooms for the mes- 

 sengers connected with the fish distribution service. The third floor is 

 used as a depot for supplies and materials, and the fourth story as a 

 storage room. A large shed has been built on the Armory grounds for 

 the deposit of the collections from the International Exhibition at Phila- 

 delphia. 



The entire reservation belonging to the Armory has been inclosed by 

 a high and substantial fence, and the interior space concreted, with the 

 exception of two oval spaces, in which it is proposed to construct ponds 

 for holding carp and other fish while awaiting distribution to distant 

 points of the country. 



In these grounds are also two tracks connecting with the Baltimore 

 and Potomac Railway system, and capable of holding four passenger 

 cars or six freight cars. This is a very great convenience both to the 

 Fish Commission and to the Smithsonian Institution, as, apart from the 

 facility for distributing fish, it makes it possible to load and unload 

 cars containing collections relating to the National Museum or to the 

 Smithsonian Institution. The entire shipment of articles for the Lon- 

 don Exhibition, filling some fifteen cars, was, put on board directly 

 from the Armory yard, the boxes and packages being carried over by 

 the wagon of the Institution and loaded directly in place, thus greatly 

 facilitating the work. 



In a similar manner the cars containing the return exhibits were 

 brought into the yard and the contents transferred either to the storage 

 shed adjacent or brought over to the National Museum. 



Natural History Workshop. — This building continues to be used as a 

 workshop for the modeling of plaster and papier-mache casts of speci- 

 mens and for the photographic service of the Geological Survey. 



The work of taxidermy has been removed in part to a temporary 

 wooden structure on the grounds east of the Museum. The necessity 

 for providing suitable work rooms for the taxidermists has become very 

 great, and in connection with this, provision for the storage of alcoholic 



