OOI^TENTS. 



Page. 



Subjects v 



Letter of Transmittal vii 



Contents ix 



List of Illustrations xii 



PART I. 



Report of the Assistant Secretary, in Charge of the National Museum. 



I. — general considerations. 



A. — Origin and development of the Museum 3 



Special epochs in the liLstory of the Museum 6 



Expectations of future development 8 



B. — Organization and scope of the Mu.seum 11 



Relations of the Museum to the Smithsonian Institution 13 



The library • 15 



C. — The work of the Museum in public education 17 



II. — special topics of the year. 



The Museum staff 20 



Accessions to the collections 20 



Catalogue entries 23 



Appropriations for 1896-97 24 



Exchanges of specimens with institutions and individuals abroad 24 



Cooperation of the Executive Departments of the Government 29 



Explorations 32 



Collectors' outfits 32 



Development and arrangement of the exhibition series 33 



Labels 35 



Library 35 



Contributions of the year to scientific literature 36 



Publications 36 



Material lent for investigation 38 



Work of students and investigators at the Museum 40 



Visitors 43 



Material received for examination and report 44 



Meetings of associations in Washington during the year 44 



Civil service 45 



New Museum building 45 



Cotton States ana International Exposition 45 



Necrology 46 



IX 



