RKPORT OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. 21 



liiill, Pro-historic Arcb.Tology ; west rauge, Ichthyology ; west hall, In 

 vertebrates. 



The south galleries of the Smithsonian main hall have been cleared, 

 the exhibition cases, which were old and unserviceable, having been 

 taken down and us(m1 for other i^nrposes, and the gallery spaces assigned 

 lor laboratory usi'. The soutliwest gallery is now occupied by the 

 ornithological department for a work-room, and for storage of the great 

 collection of unmounted bird-skins; the southeast gallery is similarly 

 occupied by the conchological dei)artment. 



The large room adjoining the northeast pavilion in the Museum 

 building is now nsed as a depository for the oological collection, and as 

 a laboratory for the section of birds' eggs. 



The ofiice of the Director of the Geological Survey having beeji re 

 moved elsewhere, the northeast pavilion is now occupied by the chemi- 

 cal and physical laboratory of the Survey. The southwest pavilion is 

 beingtitted up for the accommodation of the mammal, metallurgical, and 

 mineralogical laboratories; the west balconj' is used as a laboratory for 

 ethnology; the north balcony for the department of textiles, and the 

 south balcony for plants, recent and fossil. 



The photographer of the Geological Survey having vacated the rooms 

 for several years occupied by hini in the brick annex, second story, the 

 w(nkshop of the taxidermist attached to the department of birds has 

 been transferred thither. 



The Armory building, with its wooden annex, occupied jointly by the 

 Museum and the Fish Commission, is still crowded with unassorted 

 material belonging to the Museum collections. 



In order to provide suitable accommodations for the preparators, in 

 connection with the preparation of the exhibit for the three exi)ositions 

 of Cincinnati, Louisville, and Xew Orleans, aiul also to give much-needed 

 space for packing the collections to be sent, it was deemed advisalde 

 to construct a wooden building east of the Mnsenm building. On July 

 15 the work of breaking and leveling the ground was connnenced. The 

 annex is 150 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 50 feet high. The eastern 

 end was assigned to the modeling department of the United States 

 Geological Survey. The southwestern portion was occupied by the tax- 

 idermic force of the National IMuseum, and in the northwest part the 

 packing and general exposition work was carried on. The cost of this 

 annex was about $3,500, expended as follows : 



Survey of location for building ,§10 OK 



ConHtrnut ion •. 3,0r>ri 4 1 



Pluiuhing 257 7(i 



Stoam-fitting l.'il 11 



Drainage GO 00 



Total 3,514 28 



Two wooden sheds, one to be nsed as a poisoning-house for skins, «S:c., 

 and the other, for the preparation of the collection of building-stones 



