188 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1901. 



and placed in j>;uis, with the fins carefully spread out in natural posi- 

 tions. A dilute solution of formalin was then poured into the pans 

 and allowed to remain until the specimens hardened properly. They 

 were then taken out and wrapped in cloth and packed with great care. 

 In the meantime a series of 80 square glass jars, each '2 feet long and 

 1 foot high, were purchased in Germany, and an equal number of plas- 

 ter of paris plaques provided, 1 inch thick and exactly long and high 

 enough to tit the jars. As soon as the fish and jars reached Buffalo 

 the lish were attached to the plaques and placed in the jars and dilute 

 formalin poured in. With one or two exceptions the specimens 

 remained in excellent condition throughout the exposition. (See Plate 

 21.) The form of the body and tins was exactly preserved, and the 

 color remained sufficiently to give a very good idea of the appearance 

 of the fish when alive, though the brighter tints of many of the species 

 were in most cases subdued or lost. No method of preserving the 

 life colors perfectly is yet known. To a large extent they appear to 

 be physiological phenomena. The experiment, as a whole, may be 

 considered very successful. At the end of six months' exposure at 

 Buffalo the collection was apparently in as good condition as at the 

 beginning, and was transferred to the Charleston Exposition without 

 any further preparation. 



CASES AND INSTALLATION. 



On account of the large size of some of the mammals, the exhibit of 

 the Department of Biology occupied the center of the space allotted 

 to the Museum. Two wall cases -to feet long, 10 feet high, and 1 feel 

 deep were constructed for the mammals at right angles with the main 

 aisle (Plate 5), and Hanking them along the west wall was a similar but 

 shallower case for the fishes. 



The birds occupied eight standard Museum screen cases. 8 feet 6 

 inches long, in front of the mammal cases, and in front of these were 

 four standard Museum slope-top cases, s feet 6 inches long, for the 

 reptiles and batrachians. A special case was occupied by the hum- 

 ming birds. 



On account of the small space available, no attempt was made to 

 assemble the different species in faunal groups, an arrangement 

 which under proper conditions would have been very desirable. In 

 temporary expositions the refinements of classification adopted in 

 museums can seldom be carried out. The Government building at 

 such expositions is generally constructed on broad architectural lines 

 to accommodate the diverse exhibits of the several executive depart- 

 ments and bureaus. The lighting and interior arrangements of the 

 portion allotted in such buildings to the National Museum rarely 



