REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 31 



provide the additional air necessary for properly ventilating the 

 galleries. The result obtained by the system has been more satis- 

 factory than was anticipated. While the temperature of the gal- 

 leries has been somewhat high on extremely hot days, the circula- 

 tion of air was sufficient to produce the necessary cooling effect in 

 spite of the fact that no help was gained from the air washers. 



The ice machine in the Natural History Building produced 279.6 

 tons of ice. The plant is gradually growing less efficient from year 

 to year. An item covering the purchase of a new ice machine 

 was included in the estimates for appropriations submitted to the 

 Bureau of the Budget. 



COLLECTIONS 



The total number of specimens acquired by the Museum during 

 the year was approximately 217,611, about 60 per cent as many as 

 received during the preceding year. The value of the yearly incre- 

 ment can not, however, be appraised from numbers only. Many of 

 the acquisitions this year are exceptionally valuable, either scien- 

 tifically, as types and as representatives of new species and new 

 localities, or because of great intrinsic worth. Additional material 

 to the extent of 1,155 lots, mainly geological, was received during the 

 year for special examination and report, a service of which the 

 practical value was demonstrated during the World War. 



The distribution of duplicates, mainly to schools and colleges for 

 educational purposes, aggregated 9,131 specimens properly classified 

 and labeled and 100 pounds of material suitable for blow-pipe 

 analysis. These distributions were about equally divided between 

 the regular sets of specimens previously prepared for shipment and 

 those specially selected to meet particular needs. Nearly 35,000 

 duplicate specimens, mainly botanical and geological, were sent out 

 in exchange, in return for which much desirable material was re- 

 ceived. Over 12,000 specimens were lent to specialists for study on 

 behalf of the Museum and otherwise. 



Anthropology. — In anthropology the more important additions 

 were a carved stone figure from the Makah Indians, showing a 

 mastery of expression by the artist ; casts of the La Quina and Ober- 

 cassel skulls and skeleton ; a noteworthy Chinese harvest bell of gilt 

 bronze ; a superior stone collar from Porto Eico ; a series of archeo- 

 logical specimens from Haiti; an ethnological collection from For- 

 mosa ; an ancient stone pipe from Kentucky with remarkable incised 

 decorations; and casts of the busts of the heretic Pharaoh, Ameno- 

 phis IV and his queen, and a statuette of the latter. 



Biology. — While the number of biological specimens received dur- 

 ing the past fiscal year falls short of that of some of the previous 

 years, there is no cause for alarm, as the scientific value of the col- 



