6 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



Great activity prevailed during the year in the Division of Plants. 

 Accessions to the number of 307 were made, including the purchase of 

 all of the most valuable sets of American plants offered for sale that 

 were needed to iill out the Government collections. This division is 

 more fortunate than others in the Museum, having funds from which 

 such purchases can be made. 



The scientific bureaus of the Government, including the Fish Com- 

 mission and the Biological Survey of the Dej^artment of Agriculture, 

 continued to make very valuable additions to the national biological 

 collections. A full description of tliese, and also of numerous additions 

 from individuals, is given in the report of the head curator of the dei)art- 

 ment, where also will be found the changes in the personnel and an 

 account of the work for the year. 



Geology. — In the Department of Geology Dr. Merrill gave a large por- 

 tion of his time during the year to studying various European museums 

 for the j)urpose of obtaining information as to the best cases and methods 

 of installation of collections in museums. In addition to the head 

 curator's absence, nearly all work was suspended in the exhibition halls 

 during the construction of the new galleries and exhibition cases, so 

 that little progress was made in the exhibition series during the first 

 half of the year. Dr. Merrill resumed active charge of the department 

 early in November, when he began a systematic examination of the 

 written and printed records of the various exploring expeditions and 

 surveys, with a view to ascertaining what geological material liad been 

 collected which could properly be considered the jjroperty of the Gov- 

 ernment, and what disposition had been made of the same. The law 

 provides that collections made for the Government shall, when no 

 longer needed for investigations in progress, be dej)Osited in the National 

 Museum.i It was found that this law had not in all cases been enforced, 

 with the result that several important collections had not been trans- 

 ferred to the Museum, although several of the earlier exploring expe- 

 ditions had passed out of existence, and in several instances the 

 individuals making the collections had likewise passed away. It was 

 decided to investigate all such cases. A fine collection of fossil fishes, 

 made by the Hayden Survey, was obtained from the executors of 

 Professor Cope's estate, and some other material is soon to be trans- 

 ferred by them. A request was made to the Geological Survey for 

 any material that could be transferred without detriment to investiga- 

 tions in progress, assurance being given that the Museum could take 

 charge of extensive collections. The Survey soon transferred a large 



' "And all collections of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, and objects of natural his- 

 tory, archseology, and ethnology, made by the Coast and Interior Survey, the Geo- 

 logical Survey, or by any other parties for the Government of the United States, 

 when no longer needed for investigations in progress shall be deposited in the 

 National Museum." (Supplement to the Eevised Statutes of the United States, Vol. 

 I, second edition, 1874-1891, page 252.) 



