REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 37 



as some of the best material found in the deposit was obtained near 

 the close of operations. Camp was established early in May and 

 work was begun where operations had closed the previous season. 

 Two months' additional work fully confirmed the opinion that this 

 fossil bone deposit is one of the most important discoveries in the 

 field of vertebrate paleontology in recent years. Associated with 

 the abundant horse remains were found bones of beaver, otter, 

 mastodon, peccary, and others. The collecting for the season was 

 brought to a close early in July, but the field was still so promising 

 that a third expedition was undertaken m the spring of 1931, under 

 N. H. Boss, chief preparator in the division of vertebrate paleon- 

 tology. This party was still in the field at the close of the fiscal year 

 so that its results will come properly in the report for next year. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT 



Usual routine repairs have been necessary in connection with the 

 buildings of the National Museum to keep them in proper condition. 

 In the Natural History Building the auditorium was painted, as 

 were also the corridors surrounding it. A considerable amount of 

 painting was done in ranges in halls on the first and second floors, 

 many of which had not been painted since the completion of the 

 building nearly 20 years ago. Metal and wooden window frames 

 were painted, as were also the walls and floors of the engine room. 

 A revolving door was installed at the north entrance, a needed 

 improvement particularly in the winter season. 



Steel galleries were erected in two ranges on the ground floor and 

 in certain adjacent rooms that provide housing for the study collec- 

 tions of mammals which have been stored temporarily in two exhibi- 

 tion hails on the second floor. Necessary plans and specifications for 

 this work were prepared by the engineering division of the Office 

 of Public Buildings and Public Parks. The work of erection of the 

 galleries began on April 15, 1931, and was well along toward comple- 

 tion at the close of the fiscal year. 



In the Arts and Industries Building various exhibition halls were 

 reconditioned during rearrangement of some of the exhibits, and the 

 women's comfort room was enlarged and remodeled. In the Aircraft 

 Building a sprinkler system and other fire safeguards were installed. 

 The building was repainted within and without and a concrete base 

 was built at the bottom of the sloping sides around the entire 

 exterior. 



In the rooms occupied by the National Museum in the Smithsonian 

 Building walls and ceilings in 12 rooms in the division of plants were 

 repainted, and insulating material to control excess summer heat and 



