REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 163 



It will be observed that several departments — notably, those of rep- 

 tiles, inollusks, and fossils — have received no assignment of space in the 

 exhibition halls. The curator of mollusks and the curators of inver- 

 tebrate fossils are, however, provided with particularly commodious 

 and well-fitted laboratories, which, from the nature of the material un- 

 der their charge and the at present only partially organized condition 

 of the collections, are considered adequate for their immediate needs. 



Organization of the departments and assignment of staff. — A provisional 

 classification of the departments of the Museum was adopted early in 

 1882, and during the past two years has been practically applied. As 

 is shown by the accompanying schedule, twenty-two scientific depart- 

 ments were provided for and grouped in five divisions, namely: An- 

 thropology, zoology, botany, geology, and exploration and experiment. 

 There are also eleven executive departments, grouped together in the 

 Division of Administration. 



Classification of the departments. — The following classification of the 

 collections has been provisionally adopted:* 

 Division of Administration : 

 Department A. — Direction. 



(Supervision of routine work ; installation and labeling ; apart- 

 ments and keys; cases and furniture ; supplies; offers, bids, 

 and contracts ; certification of accounts ; requisitions and 

 complaints; assignments of work — leaves of absence ; gen- 

 eral correspondence and circulars ; supervision of other de- 

 partments in division of administration; reports.) 

 Department B. — Eegistry and storage. 



(Eegistry; reception and assignment; packing and unpacking; 

 shipment ; storage ; catalogues, blanks, and labels ; ac- 

 knowledgments ; transportation.) 

 Department C. — Archives. 



(Eecords and registers; files.) 

 Department D. — Library. 

 Department E. — Publication. 

 Department F. — Duplicates and exchanges. 



(Preparation of duplicates for distribution ; distribution of du- 

 plicates ; applications and proposals for exchanges.) 

 Department G. — Property and supplies. 



(Purchase; registry; storage; requisitions and issue ; samples 

 and price-lists.) 

 Department H. — Accounts. 



(Estimates; contracts and orders; audit; disbursement.) 

 Department I. — Buildings aud labor. 



(Police and inspection; mechanics and labor; heating and light- 

 ing ; construction and repairs ; cleaning ; public comfort.) 



* This classification is founded solely upon considerations of present convenience in 

 Museum administration. 



