36 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



and is u gaiu to the extent of bringing all the exhibits of invertebrates 

 together in the Smithsonian bnildiiig. 



The erection of galliBries in the Mnseum building, while it did not 

 involve as much rearrangement in this department as in those of 

 anthropology and geology, nevertheless made a complete reinstalla- 

 tion of the large exhibition series of mammals unavoidable. 



This change brought to view the desirability of having the zoologi- 

 cal collections, for the most part at least, arranged in accordance with 

 some one comprehensive plan. While many schemes of more or less 

 merit suggested themselves, the limitations as regards the extent and 

 character of the space at commaiul were such as to preclude most of 

 them; while the anticipation that a new building may be provided at 

 no very distant time in the future, made the adoi)tion of others seem 

 undesirable. After giving the matter serious thought, I decided that 

 the zoological exhibits should be arranged on a faunal basis, special 

 prominence being given to the faunas of the United States. This prin- 

 cipal series is to be supplemented by various smaller special series, 

 illustrating important topics in biology. The adoption of this plan, it 

 is believed, will cause the exhibits to be more significant and more 

 attractive to the public than hitherto, and at the same time the labor 

 and expense involved in effecting the modification will be limited. 



A good start in this direction has been made during the past year in 

 connection with the mammals, batrachians, reptiles, and fishes. Tlie 

 greatest change, as already stated, was made necessary in the Division 

 of Mammals on account of the erection of galleries in the south hall of 

 the Museum building, in which the exhibits are placed. The cases con- 

 taining groups of large mammals could no longer stand in the center 

 of the hall, and were therefore arranged at the sides under the galleries. 

 The main floor is now devoted to an American faunal collection, and 

 the galleries to the faunas of the rest of the world. It is the intention 

 to make the North American series complete, but other faunas can only 

 be represented by genera, even if it were desirable to do so, on account 

 of lack of space. The old wall cases were removed to the gallery, and 

 it is the intention to add to them at the beginning of the next fiscal 

 year, so that they will occupy the whole of the wall surface on both 

 sides of the gallery. Floor cases along the railings will be employed 

 for the smaller species. 



The American batrachians, reptiles, and fishes were brought together 

 in the southeast range. At the close of the year the cases in the SiniMi- 

 sonian building containing marine invertebrates were rearranged, but 

 a complete reinstallation of the specimens and a modification of a 

 majority of the cases will be needed. The cases containing exhibits of 

 insects were removed, as already stated, to the Smithsonian building, 

 but no work has as yet been done on them. No extensive change is at 

 present in contemplation in connection with the exhibits of birds, mol- 

 lusks, or comparative anatomy. 



