22 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 39 



Many fossil vertebrates, both mammalian and reptilian, were added 

 as a result of a field expedition to Utah, including a nearly complete 

 articulated skeleton of a new family of extinct lizard, a well-pre- 

 served skull of Crocodihis^ and a complete shell of the turtle Baena 

 inflata. 



Engineering and industries. — ^In aeronautics the outstanding acces- 

 sion was a collection of relics of the aeronautical work of Samuel P. 

 Langley, received as a deposit from the Smithsonian Institution. 

 The material includes a catapult for launching flying-machine 

 models, meteorological instruments, stuffed birds and birds' wings, 

 propellers, engine parts, and many other devices used by Dr. Langley 

 between 1894 and 1906 in his exhaustive researches in the field of 

 mechanical flight. To the collection of aircraft engines was added an 

 original and complete Union gasoline engine of the World War 

 period, presented by Stanley H. Page. Several interesting models 

 of historic Army and Navy airplanes were accessioned, as well as 

 models of racing and commercial planes. Many miscellaneous 

 objects pertaining to transportation, communication, metrology, 

 mining and metallurgy, tools and crafts, medicine and public health, 

 and chemistry continue to come in as gifts and loans, always welcome 

 additions to these sections. To the graphic arts display many exam- 

 ples of fine bookmaking, photoengraving, printing, and photography 

 were received, as well as some photographic and motion-picture 

 equipment of value historically. 



History/. — Nearly 3,600 objects of historic and antiquarian interest 

 were accessioned, including portraits, mementos, and medals of such 

 American historic characters as Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, Admiral 

 George Dewey, George Sherman Batcheller, and Matthew Fontaine 

 Maury. The numismatic collection was increased by 530 coins and 

 medals and the philatelic collection by 2,598 foreign postage stamps, 

 cards, and envelopes transferred from the Post Office Department. 



EXPLORATIONS AND FIELD WORK 



Scientific investigations in the field during the year were varied 

 in kind and resulted in highly important additions to knowledge and 

 in the contribution of many valuable specimens to the national col- 

 lections. The work was financed principally by grants from the 

 private funds of the Smithsonian aided by contributions from friends 

 of the Institution. 



Anthropology. — On August 25, 1938, Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, Curator 

 of Physical Anthropology, completed his tenth season of work in 

 Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The sea transportation throughout 

 these investigations was furnished by the United States Coast Guard, 

 which deserves all credit for its active cooperation. The main ob- 



