Director'' s A7i7iual Report. 13 



in foreign museums such good work in this line. I used to think 

 that the late M . Brucciani of the British Museum was facile princcps, 

 but after seeing Mr. Thompson's work I am compelled to revise 

 my opinion. We have had rare specimens that the owners did 

 not care to give to the Museum at present, loaned to us for this 

 reprodu(5lion, of which an illustration is given in my note of a 

 curved adz printed later in this report. It is hoped that the next 

 report may announce the acquisition of a number of rare objects 

 from other museums and private colledlions that will largely 

 increase the value and interest of our colledlions for study and 

 comparison. I place this line of Mr. Thompson's work next 

 in importance to that of his fish casts. He has also prepared 

 various zoological specimens for the Museum in the absence of 

 any taxidermist. The care and rearrangement of our large 

 ichthyological colle(5lion in spirits also fell to his charge, as we 

 have no marine zoologist. 



Administration. Certain changes in the administration 

 have greatly conduced to an increased produ(5lion in each depart- 

 ment. When it was decided to open the Museum on five daj'S in 

 the week (reserving Wednesda}- for such work as cannot well be 

 done if interrupted by visitors), and end the very annoying system 

 of special permits to steamer passengers, the office of Superintend- 

 ent of Exhibition Halls was established, and Mrs. Helen M. Helvie 

 appointed to the post from October ist. This appointment was a 

 particularly happy one, and under Mrs. Helvie's care the halls 

 have been kept in perfect order, and visitors greatly assisted ; she 

 has also had full control of the three janitors, thus relieving the 

 rest of the staff from much interruption and waste of time. 



As our Librarian, Miss E. B. Higgins has nearly settled the 



library in its new quarters; she has found time to take charge of the 



accounts, and of the exchanges and publications, matters hitherto 



making increasing claims on the time of our universal helper, the 



Curator of Polyne.sian Ethnology. This arrangement will give 



[37] 



