REPORT OF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 85 



On December 10, 189(), it was possible, for the first time in the 

 liistory of the Museum, to open all the courts of the builtliuii' to the 

 public. 



The watchmen have been trained in the use of the fire extinguishers, 

 and regular fire drills were held. One of the watchmen rendered efti- 

 cient assistance at a fire in the storage rooms on Ninth street, and as 

 a result much valuable property was saved. Tlie watchmen were also 

 trained in the use of the telephone exchange board. There were more 

 than l'S,0(>0 telephone calls during the year. 



The Smithsonian and Museum buildings were illuminated on the 

 evening of March 4, the date of the inauguration of President 

 Mc Kin ley. 



Tln-ee hundred and ninety requisitions relating to repairs to build- 

 ings have been attended to by the general foreman; 274 for making 

 and repairing cases have been looked after by the property clerk, aud 

 54 have been attended to by the engineer. 



The rei)ort submitted by the chief of the division includes detailed 

 statements showing the number of requisitions received from each of 

 the departments of tlse Museum, the amount of fuel, gas, and ice con- 

 sumed, the temperature iu the halls of the Museum during each day 

 of the winter months, the supplies purchased for the use of the divi- 

 sion, and an itemized list of the requisitions completed. The last- 

 mentioned statement shows that 41 cases were constructed, 2G altered 

 or remodeled, 38 repaired, 01 painted, and 49 glazed. There were 072 

 unit drawers made and 1,043 repaired or fitted to cases. 



WORK OF THE MUSEUM PREPARATORS. 



TAXIDEKMISTS. 



Mr. William Palmer, chief taxidermist, reports that 65 mammals 

 were i-eceived and skinned during the year. About one- half of these 

 came from the National Zoological Park, as shown in the following table : 



The bodies of many of these specimens were sent to the Bureau of 

 Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture. 



Twenty-five specimens of mammals, birds, aud reptiles, in addition 



