KEPORT ON THK DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS 

 IN THE 11. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. 1891. 



P)V FnKiiKRK'K W. Tkik, Cnruior. 



Altliou^h in the number and iniitortance of accessions the past year 

 will, perhaps, compare favorably with ])ievioiis ones, many circum- 

 stances liave conspired to render the year's work less satisfactory than 

 it might otherwise have been. 



There was much sickness among the liiembers of tlu^, office force, 

 wliich made it necessary to employ temporary assistants fr(nii time to 

 time, and which interrupted tiie work of those who remained in the 

 service throughout the year. The temporary assistants, being unac- 

 quainted with the work, could not proceed very rapidly. This brought 

 a great deal of clerical work upon the curator, who might have been 

 much better einjdoyed iu matters of a, more general chaiacter. The 

 corres])ondence occupies an in<'reasing amount of time. The latter part 

 (tf the yeai- was almost <'ompletely occui)ied by work connected with 

 l)r('])arations for the World's ('oluml)iaii Ex])ositioii, For this no addi- 

 tional clerical aid was granted. 



It has resulted that such important matters as the preparation of ad- 

 ditional lal)els for the exhibition series, improvements in tlie installa- 

 tion and arrangement of specimens, the identifying and assorting of 

 recently-acquired material, revision of catalogues, etc., have received 

 little or no attention. 



The department <»f taxidermy was in a disorganized condition at the 

 beginning of the year, and it was some timc^ before the normal activity 

 was resumed. 



The i»ast year was perhaps exceptional on acccmnt of the commence- 

 ment of preparations for the World's Fair. It is doubtful whether the 

 usual conditions will return for two or three years to come. 



The chief advances during the year were the large increase in the 

 number of valuable foreign mammals received, the introduction of new 

 storage cases foi' the reserve series of alcoholics and small skins, aud 

 the reorganization of the force of taxidermists under charge of the 

 curator. 



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