REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 17 



collection in the National Museum. With this object in view he con- 

 ferred with a number of experts and investigators and visited museums 

 in which food collections are to be found. Mis recent study of the sub 

 ject has strengthened his belief in the practicability of developing the 

 collection in the National Museum in such a manner as to make it <>!' 

 great popular interest, to say nothing of its educational and scientific 

 value. 



MATERIA MEDICA. 



Dr. William S. Dixon, U. S. Navy, who assumed charge of this sec- 

 tion in October, 1891, as honorary curator, states that the labeling of 

 the collection has been completed. The estimated number of specimens 

 received during the year was 1*07, the larger portion of which was from 

 the Royal Gardens at Kew, England. The catalogue entries numbered 

 55 



DIVISION OF ZOOLOGY. 



Mr. Frederick W. True, curator, states that the work in this depart- 

 ment has been seriously arrested by the necessary preparations for the 

 exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition. 



Many foreign and domestic mammals were obtained from various 

 sources. Dr. W. L. Abbott sent a valuable collection of East African 

 mammals, and Mr. William Astor Chanter presented two excellent 

 mounted heads of giraffes from the same locality. Dr. Edgar A. Mean is, 

 U. S. Army, of the Mexican Boundary Commission, has sent in some 

 finely prepared specimens from the border. The President of the 

 Inited States deposited an armadillo which had been sent to him by 

 Mr. R. R. Skaggs, of Breckenridge, Tex. More than fifty mammals 

 were received from the National Zoological Park. The estimated num- 

 ber of specimens received during the year was 1,086. 



BIRDS. 



This department, under the charge of Mr. Robert Ridgway, as cura- 

 tor, shows a gratifying growth during the past year. The work of 

 transferring the specimens in the study collection to new trays and 

 cabinets has been vigorously pushed. The preparation of an exhibit of 

 birds for the World's Columbian Exposition occupied a large share of 

 the curator's time. The present state of the collection is more satis 

 factory than during the preceding year, the arrangement of the speci- 

 mens being better adapted for the convenience of visitors. The esti- 

 mated number of specimens added was 5,6 10. involving 5,001) catalogue 

 entries. 



BIRDS' eggs. 



The honorary curator, (apt. Charles E. Bendire, U. S. Army, re- 

 ports that the collections are in excellent shape, having been carefully 

 overhauled and relabeled. The most important contribution during 

 H. Mis. 114, pt, 2 2 



