44 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1910. 
in previous years, seems to indicate that the original mammal fauna 
of the region differed somewhat from the present one. Mr. A. C. 
Weed, aid in the division of fishes, made a collecting trip to Sodus 
Bay, New York, as explained elsewhere. 
Preparation of specumens.—There has been necessity for some 
changes in the shops used for the preparation of specimens of zoology, 
due partly to the abandonment of the rented quarters south of the 
Mall, and partly to the greatly increased amount of work to be pro- 
vided for in building up the exhibition collections under the new 
conditions. This was accomplished by assigning to osteology an 
additional room in the shed south of the Smithsonian building, and 
temporarily to taxidermy a part of the southeast range in the older 
Museum building, which has been suitably inclosed. 
One of the principal problems of the year was the preservation 
of the many large skins from the African expedition, which were 
received in pickle but could not safely be allowed to remain long 
in that medium. It was therefore decided to tan them, and, as the 
Museum has no facilities for that kind of work, it was arranged to have 
it done by contract. The results have so far been very satisfactory. 
The work of the preparators is under the direct charge of the chief 
of exhibits, Dr. James E. Benedict. With the changes inaugurated 
during the year, the chief taxidermist, Mr. G. B. Turner, was relieved 
of the miscellaneous work which has hitherto occupied much of his 
attention, and he and his immediate assistants are now giving prac- 
tically all of their time to mounting for exhibition. Only one speci- 
men from the African expedition, a cheetah, was completed for this 
purpose, but a model in clay for a group of lions from the same collec- 
tion was prepared. Among mammals from other sources mounted 
were a takin or Chinese antelope, an African bush pig,a black leopard, 
and a number of small Old World mammals needed to fill gaps in 
the faunal series. The time of the bird taxidermist, Mr. N. R. Wood, 
was fully taken up in the mounting and remounting of bird skins for 
exhibition and the preparation of skins for the study series. In 
osteology a large amount of work was also accomplished, including 
the cleaning of skeletons and skulls, and the mounting of some skele- 
tons for exhibition. 
The exhibition collections—Included in the moving from the older 
buildings were the exhibition collections of mollusks, insects, fishes, 
reptiles and batrachians, and Old World mammals, but as none 
of the new halls could be fitted up in time, these exhibits were still 
inaccessible to the public at the close of the year. The exhibits 
remaining in the old quarters consisted of the birds and marine 
invertebrates in the Smithsonian building, and the American mam- 
mals and osteological specimens in the Museum building. The 
