APPENDIX 1 
REPORT ON THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report on the condi- 
tion and operation of the United States National Museum for the 
fiscal year ended June 30, 1948. 
COLLECTIONS 
More than 507,000 specimens were added to the Museum’s collec- 
tions during the year, divided among the various departments as 
follows: Anthropology, 16,585; zoology, 226,889; botany, 54,292; 
geology, 107,332; engineering and industries, 22,961; history, 79,337. 
Though considerably less than last year’s 757,000 specimens, the total 
was still better than average. Most of the accessions were acquired as 
gifts from individuals or as transfers from Government departments 
and agencies. The complete report on the Museum, published as a 
separate document, includes a detailed list of the year’s acquisitions, 
of which the more important are summarized below. Catalog entries 
in all departments now total 25,470,827. 
Anthropology.—The largest archeological accession consisted of 
more than 2,000 specimens from Cerro de las Mesas, Veracruz, collected 
a few years ago by a National Geographic-Smithsonian Expedition 
under the direction of M. W. Stirling. Nearly 500 potsherds, pro- 
jectile points, and other artifacts, excavated from a Hopewellian 
village site near Batchtown, Ill., came asa gift. The famous Kensing- 
ton stone was lent to the Museum for 6 months through the courtesy of 
the Alexandria (Minn.) Chamber of Commerce. 
In the division of ethnology, the Far East was well represented in 
new material received, objects from India, Siam, Japan, and Korea 
being noteworthy. Interesting ethnological specimens came also from 
Africa, especially three fine native wood carvings. An unusually 
well-documented collection of Plains Indian and Apache materials 
included several rare pieces of special historical interest, such as the 
famed shield of Big Bow, a Kiowa warrior. Thirty-eight water- 
color paintings, illustrating the folk costumes of the peoples of Central 
and South America, the West Indies, and the Seminoles of Florida, 
were presented by the artist, Carl Folke Sablin. 
1 Revised estimates of specimens made this year in some departments, in addition to the 
normal increase, have raised last year’s total by nearly 6,000,000. 
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