40 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



require atteutiou, aud are now, for the most part, crowded into cases 

 which are unsuitable and are practically inaccessible. A special effort 

 has been made during the year to bring together type specimens of 

 birds and to see that they were properly labeled and arranged in cases 

 made for the puri)ose. 



13octor Ralph devoted a large amount of time to clearing away the 

 accumulation of work in the Section of Birds' Eggs since the death of 

 Major Bendire. The collection now numbers over 64,000 specimens, 

 and is by far the most extensive in existence. While the eggs them- 

 selves are in excellent condition, the collection of nests is only indif- 

 ferently provided for, and new cases will be needed. 



As is fully recognized by the curator, the exhibition series of birds is 

 by no means satisfactory. The cases in the Smithsonian building are 

 old and not dust tight, and are furthermore very much crowded together, 

 on which account, and because of the insufficient lighting in the hall, 

 the collection can not be appreciated at its true value. As already 

 stated in another part of tlie report, an attempt will probably be made 

 during the coming year to remedy these defects to a certain extent, but 

 the problem is a very difficult one, and it is doubtful whether the 

 exhibit can be brought up entirely to modern standards without more 

 expense than would be justified under present conditions. Special 

 attention was given to some of the series, such as the hornbills, a very 

 striking group, of which the Museum possesses a full collection. This 

 series was entirely overhauled and new forms added. 



A special series arranged for children has been for some time exhib- 

 ited in a small room adjacent to the main hall, and was relabeled 

 throughout during the year. 



In the Division of Reptiles and Batrachians, the exhibition series 

 was removed from the Smithsonian to the Museum building, as already 

 stated, and rearranged to form a faunal North American series. The 

 exotic mounted skins, which were indifferent in quality and insufficient 

 in number and variety to form a series of any significance, were boxed 

 and stored, duplicates of American species were removed, and the 

 remainder arranged in systematic order. The curator. Dr. Leonhard 

 Stejneger, reports the general collections as being in excellent condi 

 tion, but no extensive operations were carried on, as he was necessarily 

 absent a considerable i)ortion of the year in connection with his duties 

 as a member of the Fur Seal Commission. 



The exhibit of the Division of Fishes at the close of the last fiscal 

 year consisted of several cases of casts and a large number of alcoholic 

 specimens in jars, all of which were disjdayed in one of the smaller 

 halls in the Smithsonian building. For reasons previously stated, the 

 casts were removed to the Museum building, where they were installed 

 in the southeast range in cases more suitable, and in such manner that 

 the characteristics of the American fauna could be appreciated at a 

 glance. The large collection of alcoholics was withdrawn from exhibi- 



