26 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 3 2 



object of continuing his studies of the recently extinct mammal 

 fauna of the Greater Antilles. Important localities were investi- 

 gated and many specimens were obtained representing mammals, 

 reptiles, batrachians, plants, and aboriginal artifacts. 



Dr. Waldo L. Schmitt, curator of marine invertebrates, with the 

 cooperation of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, continued a 

 survey of the carcinological fauna of the Tortugas region at the 

 Carnegie Marine Laboratory at Tortugas. 



Dr. Hugh M. Smith, in Siam, continued explorations throughout 

 the year, sending to the National Museum large collections of ver- 

 tebrates and moUusks which have been found to include numerous 

 forms new to science. Thanks to Doctor Smith, the Museum is 

 assembling a most excellent representation of the life of a region 

 from which it had previously possessed little material. 



W. G. Sheldon and Richard Borden, interested particularly in 

 mammals, arranged a 3-month trip at their own expense into north- 

 eastern British Columbia, where they secured for the Museum a 

 considerable collection that contains many forms of especial interest. 

 The principal objective was to obtain specimens of a peculiar form 

 of mountain sheep and as representative a series of other mammals 

 as possible, in which the collectors were highly successful. The col- 

 lections, including certain birds as well as mammals, have been pre- 

 sented to the National Museum. Thanks are due the Canadian Gov- 

 ernment for the necessary permits covering the taking of scientific 

 specimens. 



Dr. A. Wetmore, assistant secretary, visited the Bear River 

 marshes at the northern end of Great Salt Lake, Utah, where he 

 obtained various specimens of birds required in the Museum series. 

 The region is one famous for its waterfowl, being now in large part 

 included in a Federal refuge, and is an area from which the Museum 

 has extensive collections. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT 



The erection of the steel galleries in the Natural History Build- 

 ing for the mammal collections was completed at the end of August. 

 A pneumatic collecting and conveying system for removing sawdust 

 from the two woodworlring rooms in the carpenter shop was in- 

 stalled, an important improvement long needed. 



The power plant was in operation from October 5, 1931, until May 

 27, 1932. The consumption of coal during the year was 3,220.4 tons, 

 at an average cost per ton of $5.03. The total electric current pro- 

 duced amounted to 628,578 kilowatt-hours, at a cost of 1.65 cents a 

 kilowatt-hour. The ice plant manufactured 424.2 tons of ice at an 

 average cost of $2.36 a ton. 



