REPORT OF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 49 



110 investigations of note liave been carried on in the Mnsenin by otlier 

 than its ot'licers, either in the sections of Invertebrate Paleontology 

 or J'aleobotany. In the J3i vision of Physical and Chemical Geology, 

 Mr. Thomas L. Watson, now of the State survey of Georgia, and 

 Dr. E. C. E. Lord have each spent several months, the one conducting 

 investigations relative to the weathering of basic eruptive rocks and 

 the other working on the rocks collected by Dr. Edgar A. IMearus 

 along the line of the Mexican Boundary Survey, and a series of 

 eruptive rocks from Casco Bay, Maine, 



The reasons already enumerated have necessarily cut down the num- 

 ber of papers that might otherwise have been published by the curators. 

 Such as have appeared are sufficiently noted in the Bibliography. 



The rapid accumulation of materials, and particularly large materials 

 like vertebrate fossils, bids fair to tax to the utmost our resources for 

 handling, preparation, and proper care. When it is recalled that the 

 jireparation of a single skull may require the services of a skilled 

 preparator for months, it will be seen at once that our i^resent force is 

 quite inadequate. .Moreover, work and storage rooms are pitifully 

 cramped. When further, one recalls the strikingly interesting char- 

 acter of the display that is possible with this class of material, as well 

 as its great value from a purely scientific standpoint, the desirability 

 of pushing the work with all possible vigor becomes at once apparent, 

 and I feel that I can not too strongly urge the granting of additional 

 funds for the purpose. 



The work of rearranging the collections in physical geology, involv- 

 ing the actual moving of upward of 100,000 specimens, labeling, num- 

 bering, and bringing the card catalogue up to date, will consume a very 

 large portion of the coming year. 



The same may be said regarding work in the sections of Inverte- 

 brate Paleontology and Paleobotany. There are at present not I'ar 

 from 1,000 boxes of fossil materials of all kinds in storage, which must 

 be overhauled, identified, duplicates assorted for exchange and distri- 

 bution, worthless portions rejected, and the remainder made available 

 foy study and exhibition. 



The amount of detailed labor essential to the proper care of the col- 

 lections can be appreciated only by those who have had experience. 

 This applies to other departments than my own. 



Notwithstanding the fact that we are for the time being overbur- 

 dened with materials, no opportunity should be lost for securing more, 

 even though the same may remain years in storage. It is too mut'Ji to 

 expect that the present favorable conditions for collecting will always' 

 exist. Every reported discovery of interesting material, by members 

 of the U. S. Geological Survey, or other i)arties, should be investi- 

 gated, and where the character of the material warrants, immediate 

 steps should be taken toward its procurement by purchase or other- 

 wise. It must be borne always in mind that delays in these matters 

 NAT MUS 98 4 



