10 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899. 



are also being- made to secure an effective li.^hting- of the large central 

 part of the Bird Hall, which the absence of windows has rendered 

 practicall}^ valueless for exhibition purposes. A series of the game 

 birds and game fishes of North America has been placed in the entrance 

 hall of the Smithsonian Building, and the exhibition collection of 

 marine invertebrates has been rearranged and relabeled. 



In the Department of Geology the reinstallation in new ([uarters 

 of the systematic series of nonmetallic products, the geographic series, 

 and the building and ornamental stones has been nearly completed. 

 The collection of meteorites has now become very extensive, and that 

 of gems is not surpassed either in numbers or varieties by any pul^lic 

 collection in this country. 



EXPLORATIONS AND RESEARCHES. 



Though having insufficient funds for making field explorations on 

 an extensive scale, some work of this character, to fill in gaps in the 

 collections, has been carried on nearly every year, the direction given 

 it being along lines or into regions not covered by other Government 

 bureaus. Realizing the practical utility of early researches into the 

 natural history of the recently acquired possessions, an appropriation 

 for that purpose was asked of Congress, and its failure of passage at 

 the last session will, it is hoped, only defer the project for a short time. 

 Soon after the close of hostilities an agent was dispatched to Cuba and 

 Porto Rico to obtain material illustrative of the historical phases of 

 the war with Spain. Much success was met both in securing collec- 

 tions and in interesting persons on the ground to add to them. 



Important researches in California and Mexico, with reference to 

 prehistoric man as well as the modern Indians, were conducted by Dr. 

 W. H. Holmes, who brought back a large and interesting collection. 

 Mr. J-. B. Hatcher is carrying on extensive inquiries in Patagonia for 

 l)oth Princeton University and the National Museum, and one impor- 

 tant lot of specimens has alread}^ been received from him. Dr. J. N. 

 Rose and Dr. Walter Hough spent some time in Mexico in botanical 

 and ethnological investigations, and a number of other small expedi- 

 tions were in the field at one time or another during the yeaw their 

 activities relating to several different subjects. 



As before explained, the explorations by which the Museum is mainly 

 benefited are those conducted by the Geological Survey, the Fish Com- 

 mission, and certain scientific divisions of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture. Mention should also be made of the numerous contributions 

 received from officers of the Army and Navy, whose opportunities for 

 collecting have been greatly increased by the present activities in the 

 military service. There have been man}^ accessions from these various 

 sources during the year, and references to the field work in connection 



