32 REPORT OP NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1911. 



a part of the Cromwell stamp collection, and numerous historical 

 documents and paintings. Many changes and improvements were 

 made in the installations in the north hall, and additional cases were 

 ordered and partly finished to relieve the congested condition of some 

 of the exhibits. 



Much progress was made in cataloguing and in preparing lists of 

 the extensive collections which are not on exhibition. The collection 

 of portraits, of which there are about 15,000, was gone over for the 

 purpose of perfecting the arrangement and labeling, and about 300 

 new portraits were added. The entire study series of the division 

 is in fair condition, and the work of placing it in thorough syste- 

 matic order is proceeding rapidly. When these plans have been 

 carried out it is expected that all the articles in storage will be 

 as accessible for study and reference as are those in the exhibition 

 cases. The assistant curator of history, Mr. T. T. Belote, has in 

 preparation a descriptive catalogue of the Washington relics pre- 

 served in the Museum. 



Anthropological laboratory. — The work of making and coloring 

 casts, constructing lay figures, and cleaning, poisoning, restoring, 

 and mounting specimens has been in charge of Mr. H. W. Hendley. 

 The largest undertaking of the year was connected with the recon- 

 struction, painting, and installation of the entire series of plaster 

 casts of the department, moved from the old building. Other 

 important work consisted in the rebuilding of the model of the 

 Tower of Babel, and of the lay figure group representing the Virginia 

 Indians trading with John Smith, the former on a reduced scale, 

 and the casting of numerous stone implements. 



DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY. 



Mammals. — Through the generosity of Mrs. Edward PI. Harriman, 

 of New York, by whom it was purchased and presented to the Insti- 

 tution, the Museum has acquired the notable collection of North 

 American mammals assembled by Dr. C. Hart Merriam before his 

 connection with the Government service. It comprises about 5,800 

 skins, 6,000 skulls, of which 235 are of seals, and 100 complete skele- 

 tons, and contains about 80 type specimens. Among the receipts of 

 the early part of the year were the last two shipments made by the 

 Smithsonian African Expedition, under the direction of Col. Theo- 

 dore Koosevelt, including most of the mammals from Uganda, and 

 about 425 small mammals obtained in Java by Mr. Owen Bryant and 

 Mr. William Palmer. One hundred and five mammals collected for 

 the Museum in Shan-si, China, were received from Mr. Arthur de C. 

 Sowerby. Mr. John J. White, of Washington, presented 27 speci- 

 mens from British East Africa, including an example of the rare 

 antelope Damaliscus phallus, and Mr. Hoffman Philip donated six 



