REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 103 



Small case was made for the Department of Birds, and the inside and outside of several 

 cases in the bird ball were painted. Shelves toslope oases were made for the Depart- 

 ment of Paleozoic Fossils. 



April, — The Ledges of a large number of windows were lined with tin to prevent 

 the rain from beating in. In the Department of Antiquities, pedestals and shelves 

 were constructed and two hundred thirty-seven trays were painted. Locks were put 

 on cases in the Department of Mammals. One end of the wall case in the south hall 

 was made moth proof. A tin collecting case was made tor use in the Department of 

 Botany. Locks were put on chart cases in the Department of Building Stones. For 

 the Department of Buildings and Labor a mail box was made for the Superintend- 

 ent's office. The walls in the northwest pavilion and in the lecture hall were 

 painted. Tin- third floor of the northwest pavilion was fitted up for the offices of the 

 executive clerk. Glass was reset in a case for the Department of Anatomy. In the 

 Department of Ethnology packing boxes were made, and mahogany tables for speci- 

 mens of Japanese lacquer were constructed. Shelving was constructed around a 

 portion of the executive clerk's office. Two copper tanks were made for the engineer 

 of property. Locks were fitted to several unit cases. Blocks wore ebonizcd for the 

 display of food specimens. A base and screen for an exhibit of woods was made. In 

 the section of Historical Relics a frame was made for a portrait of Washington. A 

 number of screens in the Department of Metallurgy were strengthened and painted. 

 For the Department of Minerals two tanks were made, a number of blocks ebouized, 

 casters put on ten unit-table cases, and doors and trays eased. A number of blocks 

 were painted for the section of Materia Medica. For the Department of Ornithology 

 tanks boxes were made; the inside of cases in the bird hall were painted, and asmall 

 mahogany case made for a group of birds. Several doorcases were fitted up, and old 

 book-cases repaired. For the Section of Graphic Arts :3G double boxes were finished. 



May. — The northwest basement has been thoroughly cleaned, and several coats of 

 whitewash have been put on the walls. Awnings have been fitted to the windows 

 in both buildings. For the collection of Animal Products a storage case was built; 

 this holds about one hundred and fifty trays. Case drawers and trays have been 

 planed and eased. In the Department of Antiquities casters were put on a large 

 walnut ease; fifteen heavy bases made. Wing frames for use in the Section of Ori- 

 ental Antiquities were repaired, four pedestals cut down, and the inside of cases 

 painted. For the Department of Mammals a stand for porpoise casts was made, and 

 casters were put on unit table cases. The prairie-dog and elephant cases were glazed 

 and the bases of table eases made moth-proof. One hundred and seventy-six trays 

 were made for the Depart incut of Botany. A number of relief maps were lettered 

 for the Department of Building Stones. The sky-lights in the carpenter's shop and 

 leaks in the roof were repaired. Twelve label-frames were made and sectional cov- 

 ering put on steam pipe in the exhibition hall of the Department of Comparative 

 Anatomy. Six pine shelves for storage were made, and several pamphlet boxes re- 

 paired. Twelve copper tanks and twenty tin insect-boxes were made for the Engi- 

 neer of Property. Twenty drawers were fitted to storage cases in the Department of 

 Metallurgy. Casters were put on two unit cases in the Department of Minerals, and 

 a number of wooden blocks for specimous were planed. Three sliding screen cases 

 in the Section of Materia Medica were reduced to half their original thickness. 

 1 )oor screen cases were glazed. Cases in the exhibition hall of the Department of 

 Birds were painted, and shelving and floor cases fitted up in the south tower of the 

 Smithsonian building. Drawers and locks were fitted on two unit cases, and one 

 box made for the Department of Birds' Eggs. For the Section of Textiles three label- 

 frames were made, one hundred blocks painted, and one hundred and forty-two 

 trays eased. In the Department of Ethnology casters were put on ten mahogany 

 cases, one map let tered, and twenty-seven trays eased. 



Juur. — The basement rooms under the north entrance have been thoroughly cleaned. 



On June fi, four extra laborers were engaged to help in clearing the storage rooms 

 at the Armory building for the use of the Fish Commission. This occupied the time 

 of six to eight laborers for many days. 



The installation ol the collection of prints and engraving has occupied the t ime of 

 several carpenters, painters, and laborers. A window was cut in the wall in the 

 third floor of the northwest pavilion. The east window in the second floor of the 

 natural history laboratory was enlarged. The painting of exhibition cases, shelves, 

 drawers, and trays in the halls of the Department of Birds and Prehistoric Anthro- 

 pology has continued from month to month, owing to many changes in the original 

 plans. Shelving was placed in the shed in the Armory building, and doors and fra\ s 

 to cases eased in the Department of Building Stones. Repairs were made iu the roof 



of the Museum building, The walls and stairway at the north front of the Smithso- 

 nian building were painted. The roof of this building was repaired. Nineteen 

 French ventilators were painted. Two hundred and six trays were eased and three 

 lights of glass 60x90 inches were fitted in slope cases for the Department of Ethnology. 



Eighty live trays were cased for Use in the Department of Metallurgy. Three old 



sliding screen cases were changed into three door screen cases for the Section of 



Materia Medica. 



