REPORT OP THE SECRETARY 17 



J. M. Aldrich, associate curator of insects, of his collection of 45,000 

 specimens of dipterous flies, the result of his life's collecting and 

 study. Considerable collections were received from Rev. D. C. 

 Graham, made during his explorations in the Province of Szechwan, 

 China. Dr. W. L. Abbott secured a large number of plants, reptiles, 

 and amphibians during an expedition to Santo Domingo. The 

 National Herbarium was greatly enriched by three expeditions to 

 tropical America, that of Dr. A. S. Hitchcock to Panama, Ecuador, 

 Peru, and Bolivia; of Paul C. Standley to the Canal Zone and Costa 

 Rica ; and of Dr. William R.Maxon to Panama, Costa Rica, and Nica- 

 ragua. The research work of the staff of the department of biology 

 has been continued whenever time could be spared from the neces- 

 sary work of caring for the increasing collections, but the divisions 

 are greatly undermanned and much more scientific work would be 

 accomplished if more assistants were available. 



The department of geology received a large amount of material 

 of unusual value for both exhibition and study purposes, the most 

 noteworthy accessions being the large sauropodous dinosaur from 

 the Dinosaur National Monument, Utah, and the Edgar E. Teller 

 and George M. Austin collections of fossils, which together comprise 

 at least 125,000 specimens. The economic collections have been in- 

 creased by the addition of a number of ores and by a series of 

 diamond-bearing rocks from Arkansas. Meteoric irons from New 

 Mexico, Kansas, Chile, Spain, and Australia added new material to 

 the meteorite collection. The mineral collections received a number 

 of specimens chiefly through the generosity of Col. Washington A. 

 Roebling, and several cut gems were added to the Isaac Lea collec- 

 tion. Expansion of the study series and research work occupied 

 much of the time of the curators and their assistants. 



The divisions of mineral and mechanical technology received many 

 interesting additions, including two automobiles presented by the 

 Cadillac Motor Co., one made in 1903 and the other in 1923, the 

 latter being cut away in cross section to show the working parts. 

 Another valuable accession was a complete working unit of a 

 Strowger automatic telephone system equipped with three telephones 

 which can be operated by the visitor, thus enabling him to observe 

 the functioning of the apparatus. The division of textiles, includ- 

 ing also wood technology, organic chemistry, foods, and medicine, 

 received over 3,300 specimens during the year, including large 

 series of industrial specimens illustrating every branch of rubber 

 manufacture, the manufacture of leather and shoes, and the prepara- 

 tion and dyeing of seal, muskrat, and rabbit skins. There were also 

 accessioned many chemical materials used in various industries, a 

 number of interesting textiles, and material of value to be added 



