REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 29 



The curator of the Division of Mechanical Technolog-y has been 

 prosecuting researches in various sections of this division, and Mr. 

 G. C. Maynard, aid. continues his studies with respect to the electrical 

 collections. 



The extensive collections of the department naturally form the 

 basis of study in many branches of research. Students are made 

 welcome at all times, and not a few have availed themselves of the 

 facilities offered. Mr. Foster Jennings, Rev. Dr. W. E. Griffis, Mr. 

 W. H. Patton, Mr. J. D. McGuire, and Mr. E. Quesada have pursued 

 investigations in the Divisions of Ethnology and Somatology. Mr. 

 Frank Calvert, Prof. F. B. Tarbell, and Mr. Willard Nye, jr., have 

 consulted the collections in prehistoric archaeology, and Mr. Franklin 

 W. Smith and the Association for the Study of Comparative Religions 

 have pursued investigations in the Division of Religions. Scientitic 

 and numerous nonscientific writers engaged in the preparation of 

 matter for periodicals and newspapers have found the department a 

 profitable field. 



LOANS. 



It is not usual to lend collections to students desiring to study them 

 outside of the Museum, save in cases where loss or injury is not immi- 

 nent. In several instances, however, articles have been turned over 

 to the Bureau of American Ethnology, and a few loans have been 

 made to museums. A collection of Shoshone and Ute crania was for- 

 warded to the American JSIuseum of Natural History at the request of 

 Prof. F. W. Putnam. These were studied by Dr. A. Hrdlicka, and 

 returned in good order. A number of games have also been loaned 

 to the museum of the Universit}" of Pennsylvania for the use of Mr. 

 Stewart Culin. Numerous modeL belonging to the Section of Trans- 

 portation were loaned to the Carnegie Museum. Pittsburg, Pa., in 

 order that copies of them might be made for that institution. A col- 

 lection of electrical apparatus numbering 56 specimens was loaned to 

 the American Commissioner-General for the Paris Exposition. 



