112 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1914. 
from New Mexico to Prof. J. C. Arthur, of Purdue University ; 
lichens of the genus Ramalina to Dr. R. H. Howe, of Concord, Mass. ; 
tropical American plants to the Royal Botanical Garden and Mu- 
seum, Berlin, Germany; specimens of Solanaceae to Dr. Georg Bitter, 
Bremen, Germany; a large series of Dryopteris for study by Mr. 
Carl Christensen in connection with his extended monograph of the 
tropical American species of the genus, to the Botanical Museum of 
the University, Copenhagen, Denmark; lichens, mainly from Aus- 
tralia and New Zealand, to Mr. G. K. Merrill, Rockland, Me.; speci- 
mens of Chamaesyce, for study by Dr. C. F. Millspaugh, to the Field 
Museum of Natural History; and specimens of Yanthiwm, for study 
by Dr. T. J. Widder, and of tropical American Gesneriacez, mainly 
from Panama, for study by Dr. KX. Fritzsch, to the Institute for 
Systematic Botany, Graz, Austria. 
Work of preparators—Having previously completed, so far as the 
material permitted, the principal new and prominent features for the 
exhibition series, especially of mammals and birds, the preparators 
were mainly occupied during last year in mounting smaller speci- 
mens and in renewing and improving the specimens from the older 
collections, which had to a large extent been installed in the new 
building without waiting for the renovation which their condition 
demanded. The collection still contains much material which should 
be replaced when better specimens can be obtained, and until this is 
done the exhibition as a whole must be regarded as below the proper 
standard. The work which this involves, although not as spec- 
tacular as the building of large groups, is as important from the 
museum standpoint and as necessary for the lessons designed to be 
illustrated. 
Mr. George B. Turner, chief taxidermist, and his assistant, Mr. 
William L. Brown, finished the mounting of the reticulated giraffe, 
which is an especially effective piece of taxidermy, and also of the 
giant eland and the greater koodoo, both from East Africa, as well 
as of a specimen of the fallow deer, a common European species not 
hitherto represented in the exhibition halls. A fine specimen of the 
rare Pére David deer, Llaphurus davidianus, from China, was also 
in course of preparation at the end of the year. 
Mr. N. R. Wood, the bird taxidermist, mounted for exhibition 74 
skins, mostly of African birds, including the 5 chicks of the ostrich 
group and 11 fresh skins. He also remounted 30 specimens and 
renovated or changed to other pedestals 22 specimens. Mr. George 
Marshall was mainly engaged in mounting small mammals, in which 
the exhibition series is exceedingly deficient except in the North 
American section. 
The work done in the osteological laboratory under Mr. J. W. 
Scollick consisted in cleaning 938 mammal skulls, besides skeletons 
