202 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



to the exhibition series during the year: Sun bear, Hclarctos ; Borueo 

 \\i-Axte,\i, Mustela ; Small cat, i^^^/is ; Civet, Viverra tmu/almq/a ^ Munt- 

 jak, Cervulws muntjalc (two specimens); Chevrotain, Tragidus sp. (two 

 speciinens); Borneo cow, Bos- Borueo wild boar, Siis. 



Two paintiug's in oil, representing the destruction of the Bison on 

 the Western plains, were hung on the walls of the hall over the east 

 and west entrances. A table for books of lefei'cncc for visitors was 

 brought into use and a number of books j)liU'ed ujxmi it. During the 

 reconstruction of the south entrance as a storage room foi- the dei)art- 

 uieut, it was found necessary to place tlu^ boxes containing the reserve 

 series of large skins in the exhibition hall. These were removed as 

 soon as possible, however, and stored elsewhere. The remarks made 

 in the report of last year regarding the crowded condition of the hall 

 are still apjilicable. The cases now in use are insufficient for the proper 

 display of the good mounted specimens now on hand, but even if a 

 sufficient number of cases were provided it is difficult to s<'e how they 

 could be used in the space now available. 



Labels for the grdup of musk-oxen and for the large whale model 

 were printed and brought into use, an<l a label for th«' grou]> of moose 

 was prepared. 



The reconstruction of the south entrance of the Museum building to 

 form a storage room and laboratory for this department, which was 

 alluded to in the report of last year, was completed in September, 1890. 

 The storage cases for small skins consist of tifty tin-lined comi)art- 

 ments, 2' 7" high, 2' 2" wide, and 3' deei). These are provided with 

 light trays. In addition, one half of the available space in the room is 

 occupied by covered shelves for the storage of alcoholics. When the 

 cases for skins were hnislied all the small skins were transferred to 

 them, and, as far as time would i)ermit, arranged in i)roper order. The 

 North American series has been kept separate throughout, as these are 

 consulted more frequently than the others. S<mie additional work has 

 been done in perfecting and verifying the information on the labels, but 

 as this must be done with great care to be of any ser\ice, it proceeds 

 slowly. The alcoholics were jjlaced on the shelves and arranged as far 

 as possible. Much work, however, remains to l>e done in this diiec- 

 tion. 



The ordinary routine work of cataloguing, labeling, and sorting new 

 accessions was carried on as usual. 



Catalogue entries of specimens deposited by the Department of Agri- 

 culture to the number of 11,704 were made by our clerks. The entries 

 of previous years were copied together in a single book, and the record 

 of the deposit under consideration now forms a separate section in the 

 series of catalogues, l^^ive pre]>arators were occupied in cleaning the 

 skulls in this c(»llection, either as employes of the Museum, or as con- 

 tractors. The number of j)ersons so employed has been increased or 



