SECRETARY’S REPORT 29 
before recorded and four specimens which represent a new genus. 
Dr. Kier also attended the meetings of the Geological Society of 
America in Atlantic City. 
In October 1957 Dr. Peter P. Vaughn, associate curator of verte- 
brate paleontology, spent 3 days collecting tetrapods and the skulls 
of the rare nectridian Diploceraspis from the upper Mississippian 
formation near Greer, W. Va., and the Dunkard series, lower Per- 
mian formation of northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsy]- 
vania. In November 1957 and again in February 1958 he spent 
several days at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard 
University and the American Museum of Natural History examining 
and studying fossil amphibians, reptiles, and Permian vertebrates. 
From March 15 to May 17, 1958, Dr. Vaughn, accompanied by ex- 
hibits worker John E. Ott of the division of vertebrate paleontology 
and ranger naturalist R. Donald Widman of the National Park 
Service, carried forward an extensive paleontological research pro- 
gram in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. Their prin- 
cipal objective was collecting fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in the 
Permian beds. Several hundred pounds of fossils reached the Mu- 
seum as a result of their explorations. 
The administrative reorganization of July 1, 1957, created two 
units under the United States National Museum, namely the Museum 
of Natural History and the Museum of History and Technology. The 
staff comprising the latter unit found it necessary to visit many of 
the museums, universities, and private collectors in order to exam- 
ine, study, purchase, and accept a variety of objects for the new 
museum. Every effort was made by the many recently employed 
specialists to acquire outstanding examples to illustrate their subject- 
matter fields. At the same time every opportunity was taken to per- 
fect their program of exhibition. Only the more important phases of 
this fieldwork and travel program are here noted: 
The Director of the Museum of History and Technology, Frank A. 
Taylor, made three important trips in connection with the acquisition 
of objects and the use of modern display methods as well as television 
facilities for the new museum under construction. 
In keeping with the previous program of examining new exhibits 
and acquiring important apparatus to illustrate the development of 
the physical sciences, Dr. Robert P. Multhauf, head curator of science 
and technology, completed extensive field trips. From September 
15 to October 21 he visited various museums in Denver, Colo.; San 
Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Nevada City, Calif.; 
Ames and Jowa City, Iowa; Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind.; 
and Marietta, Ohio; and participated in a seminar on the history of 
science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. In December 
