REPORT DFON THE CONDITION AND PROCRESS OF THE UNITED 

 STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM IN 18S4. 



A.— GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 

 1. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



During the year tlic ollicors of Iho iNIusoum have ooiitiiiiKMl tlie work 

 of arraiifjinp: tlio material under their charge in the cxliibition lialls, 

 laboratories, and store rooms at their disposal. 



It should be remembered that the reorganization of the Museum was 

 begun late in 18S1, at the time when the new Museum building was first 

 made ready for oeeupation, and that 1884 is but the third year of sys- 

 tematic effort. ^luch progress has been made in removing from the 

 exhibition halls the great nmss of unclassified material which had been 

 gathering for many years in the various store-rooms of the Smithsonian 

 building and elsewhere, and which, on account of lack of space, had for 

 the most part been allowed to remain in the original packing eases. 



The tloors of the Museum have at last been almost cleared, and at 

 present only three of the seventeen exhibition rooms are occupied for 

 storage purposes, viz: The southwest court, which is still full of speci- 

 mens belonging to the departments of metallurgy, mineralogy, and 

 lithology ; and the southeast court, which is used as a gtMieral recei)ta- 

 cle for empty cases and unmounted material belonging to the depart- 

 ments of zoology and anthropology. Before the (Mid of February this 

 work will be completed. 



The additions to the Museum have been far more numerous and val- 

 uable than in any previous year. The activity of every department 

 has been greater, both in respect to ))rogress made in the administration 

 of the collections and in respect to the number of scientilic ])apers ])ub- 

 lished by the officers in connection with their professional studies upon 

 the specimens under their charge. 



By direction of Congress the Smithsonian Institution, in connection 

 with tlie Executive Departments of the Government and the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, has participated during the year in the in<lustrial 

 ex])Ositions at Cincinnati, Louisville, and New Orleans. 



Having been designated by yourself, and ap]>ointed by the President, 

 re])resen1ativ<' of the Smith.*^oiiian Institution (including I he. National 

 Musiium and Fish Comini.ssion) on the Government I'jxecutive Hoard, 



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