REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. ^ 



C— SPECIAL T(^PICS OF THE YEAR. 

 INCREASE IN THE COLLECTIONS DURING THE DECADE 1881-1891. 

 \t the Close of 1881 a census of the collections was taken, resulting 

 i./the preparation of a table, published in subsequent reports which 

 .,,vel>3,3r>2 as the approximate total number of specimens of al kimh, 

 :, that ti\ne entered in the catalogue books of the sevei.l <^^ 

 nl the Aluseum. The census for the year ending June oO, 1891, places 

 h. total number of specimens of all kinds at 3,028,714, showing an m- 

 :1 of about nineteen-l^>ld during th. decad. It must, howc^w^ 

 1,. statcMlthat a large proportion of the material catalogued in 18^4 

 ,Hd in later years, had been in the custody of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 ;,on for several years, but had remained in storage on account ot there 

 no opporUinity' to have it classitied and entered in the catalogue 

 I lol;. In this way the immense increase in the t.>tals tor 1884 as com- 

 nned with those for 1882 may be partly accounted h.r. 



'There still remains in the basement of the Smithsonian bui dmg and 

 in the old Armorv building a, considerable amount of material, consist- 

 in o- lar<.elv of gifts trom foreign governments and contributions from 

 expositions, whu-li has not yet been brought under c-ontrol, owing to 

 lack of space and other necessary facilities. 



INCREASE IN THE MUSEUM LTBRARV. 



The number of publications added to the Museiim ^^y^^^ ^^ 

 year was 12,854, including 022 books .)t more than 100 pages, .,4y. 

 pamphlets, 0.280 parts of serials, and 100 charts. 



INCREASED EDITION OF MUSEUM REPORTS. 



lu ,,U«e of 18,000 extra «.i,i.s, the Fi%-«-t '^'"''g^''^^ l'»l""l«^;'J 

 tl.at 19 00O copies of reports of tlie Mnseuu, be pnuted. Tl.is will 

 l^w 3 OW copies to l,e set apart for ,listri.>,.tiou by tl,e Mnseuu, to its 

 contributors and corresi>ondents. 



VISITORS. 



end 



m 



sons 



since 1881 (during the last decade) 



and to the Smithsonian Institution 1,0S1,«)S1. 



MUSEUM APl^ROPRLVriONS FOR 18Hl-'9-_>. 



^145,000 



Preservation of collections ^r,^ 000 



Fnrnitnre and fixtures 1.5, 000 



Printing 12, 000 



Heating and ligliting 10,000 



IMircliase of Capron collt'.tinn 5, 000 



Repairing floors, etc j^ 000 



Duty on glass, etc 500 



Postage, etc 



° 213, 500 



Total 



