MUSEUM NOTES 
Tue exhibit in the Darwin hall showing 
variation under domestication has been 
rearranged and forms one of the items in a 
series illustrating Darwinian principles. In 
this case the chief variations of the dog, the 
pigeon and the common barnyard fowl are 
shown. 
Mr. N. C. Netson of the department of 
anthropology is engaged in excavating the 
prehistoric and early historic ruined villages 
in the neighborhood of Santa Fé. 
“ THE Evolution of the Jaw Muscles of Ver- 
tebrates”’ was the subject of a recent presenta- 
tion before the New York Academy of Sciences 
by Prof. L. A. Adams, who has been investigat- 
ing this subject in the Museum laboratory of 
vertebrate evolution. By means of the stere- 
opticon he exhibited a series of very clear 
drawings of the skull and jaw muscles of a 
score or more of representative vertebrates of 
all classes, and showed by what comparatively 
slight successive changes the arrangement of 
the jaw muscles of primitive fishes has given 
rise to the various modifications that are 
characteristic of the higher types. 
THE civic exhibition at the National Arts 
Club is one of the most instructive yet 
brought together on the problems touching 
artistic betterment of New York City. 
Maps, photographs, architectural designs and 
sculptural models bring out many proposed 
plans for beautifying Riverside Drive and its 
docks, besides various bridges, streets and 
parks. Among suggested features for deco- 
ration of buildings may be noted mural de- 
signs by E. W. Deming and WillS. Taylor and 
sculptural animal designs by Carl E. Akeley, 
all of the American Museum’s staff and at 
present engaged in work for the artistic im- 
provement of the Museum buildings. 
SUBSTANTIAL progress has been made in 
installing the new storage system for dino- 
saurs and other fossil reptiles. Most of 
these large and heavy specimens have hitherto 
been laid out on mats on wooden tables 
ranked three deep, filling up the large dino- 
saur storeroom at the top of the southwest 
tower wing; the remainder stored in wooden 
trays piled up in every available corner of 
the storerooms and laboratories. The ar- 
rangement was originally intended as a 
temporary one, but for lack of a better equip- 
ment has lasted fifteen vears. It was some- 
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what cumbersome, the larger fossils were 
exposed to dust and risk of breakage, the 
smaller ones difficult of access, and the danger 
of serious fire damage became continually 
greater as constant additions crowded the 
collections more and more. 
The new system will provide ultimately 
three double stacks of steel racks twelve feet 
high with strong but light steel framed trays 
three by four feet, and wall racks for the 
smaller wooden trays. The specimens are 
laid out on mats in the large trays and lifted 
up by a small movable elevator. The sys- 
tem is adjustable and compact, and en- 
ables the large heavy and often fragile bones 
to be moved with safety and convenience. 
The great saving in space is shown by the 
fact that the one double stack now installed 
accommodates most of the contents of the 
storeroom, so full under the old system as to 
be unmanageably crowded. Other collec- 
tions which for lack of room were temporarily 
placed elsewhere will find ample storage space 
and security in the second stack now under 
construction and in the wall racks. The 
third stack is planned for accommodation of 
future collections but will not be installed at 
present. 
The trays will be protected from dust by 
fireproofed covers and curtains. The risk of 
fire is now slight as there is practically noth- 
ing to burn except the old wooden trays which 
must be retained for the present to contain 
the smaller specimens, and the adequate 
space around these will make it easy to con- 
trol any fire that might get started. The 
room now available to lay out dinosaur 
skeletons for study and comparison has been 
urgently needed for research work on these 
collections. The lighting of the storeroom 
has also been greatly improved. 
THE Southwestern Anthropological Society 
for promotion of research work in the history 
and ethnology of the Southwest has recently 
been organized at Santa Fé. Dr. Livingston 
Farrand, president of the University of Colo- 
rado and formerly curator in the American 
Museum, was elected president and Dr. Paul 
Radin, secretary. Dr. P. E. Goddard and 
Mr. N. C. Nelson of this Museum have been 
invited to become members of the committee 
on research. 
Mr. Cuarutes W. MEap, assistant curator 
of anthropology, in charge of the South 
