182 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1921. 
terial relating to the war with Germany. Even so the additions dur- 
ing the past year are sufficiently large to materially increase the matter 
on hand and to indicate that the collections will continue to expand 
in a normal and satisfactory manner. The 7,144 specimens received 
cover a wide range as regards their character, and represent very 
evenly the various fields and sections of the historical activities of 
the Museum. 
ACCESSIONS DESERVING SPECIAL NOTICE. 
The extent and importance of the materials added to the historical 
collections during the past fiscal year can only be made clear after 
a brief reference to the various classes into which these materials are 
divided in accordance with the present scheme of the activities of the 
division. 
The historical collections are at present divided under two gen- 
eral heads, one including the material relating to the recent World 
War; the other, known at present as the original historical collec- 
tions, includes much material relating to United States history prior 
to and subsequent to that period. The collections relating to the 
World War are further divided into the following classes of ma- 
terial: Commemorative, foreign, military, naval, numismatic, and 
pictorial. The original collections are divided into the following 
classes of matter: Antiquarian, biographical, costume, military, 
naval, numismatic, philatelic, and pictorial. 
Thus it may be noted that the division of history seeks to illustrate 
the national development of the United States by an accumulation. 
of museum material belonging to the classes stated above, which 
when associated together and exhibited in contiguous territory will 
present a graphic story of the most notable phases of American his- 
tory. Each of the classes of materials mentioned above has a specific 
duty to perform in this connection, and all unite to form a vast reser- 
voir of objects for the graphic presentation in museum form of the 
annals of the United States from the colonial period down to most 
recent times. 
WAR COLLECTIONS. 
The additions to this section of the historical collections have not 
been so large as during the previous fiscal year when they attained to 
gigantic proportions. They have nevertheless been notable both in 
size and interest. 
Most notable have been the contributions made by the Navy De- 
partment. The exhibit of this Department in the rotunda of the 
Natural History Building and in the Aircraft Building now includes 
among other objects the following of special note. In the latter loca- 
tion are shown two naval aircraft of the latest design, a flying boat 
