REPORT Oi' ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. 21 



In the report for 1881 it was estimated that the number of visitors to 

 the Museum building during 1880 was at least 150,000. This number 

 in 1882 was increased to 167,455 and in 1883 to 202,112. In 1884 the 

 number was 195,322, and, as given in the table above, 107,365 people 

 visited the Museum during the first six months of 1885. 



(e) Students and lectures. 



As in previous years the Museum has afforded facilities to several 

 students who have in some instances rendered a partial equivalent by 

 volunteer work upon the collections. 



In the Department of Ethnology Dr. Franz Boas, of Germany, spent 

 some time in January studying the collections of Hall and others from 

 Baffin's Land. In February Dr. Simmons, formerly of Japan, compared 

 the carvings of the IsTorthwest Coast Indians with the forms familiar to 

 him in Japanese art. Dr. N^sh also spent several days in receiving 

 special instractions with relation to collections intended to be made in 

 IsTorthwest Alaska. 



In the Department of Minerals volunteer service was rendered by 

 Harry P. Ingram, who commenced work in February. 



Mr. Albert Koeble was detailed from the Department of Agriculture 

 to assist the curator of the Department of Entomology in arranging 

 and classifying the collections. 



Mr. J. Warner Edwards rendered valuable service at Kew Orleans in 

 connection with the arrangement of collections for the Museum. 



In the photographic laboratory instructions were given by Mr. T, W. 

 Smillie to Lieut. Winterhalter, XJ. S. N.; Dr. Nash, U. S. K; Mr. H. L. 

 Turner, U. S. Geological Survey, and also to Mr. George P. Merrill and 

 Mr. James Templeman Brown, of the ISTational Museum. 



As in previous years the use of the lecture hall has been granted 

 for a series of lectures delivered on Saturday afternoons under the 

 joint auspices of the Biological and Anthropological Societies of Wash- 

 ington. These were largely attended. Many of the lectures had direct 

 reference to the work of the Museum, and were illustrated by specimens. 



The programmes of the two courses are here given : 



PROGKAMME OF THE FIRST PART. 



February 7. — Prof. John Fiske : Results in England of the surrender of Cornwallis. 

 February 14. — Dr. George M. Sternberg, U. S. A. : Germs and germicides. 

 February 28. — Hon Eugene Schuyler: The machinery of our foreign service. 

 March. 7. — Mr. William T. Hornaday : Natural Mstory and people of Borneo. 

 March 14.— Mr Charles D. Walcott : Searching for the first forms of life. 

 March. 21. — Prof. E. M. Gallaudet: The language of signs and the combined method 

 of instructing deaf-mutes. 



PROGRAMME OP THE SECOND PART. 



March 28.— Dr. James C. Welling: Oldest history in the light of newest science. 

 Aiml 4.— Mr. Frederick W. True : OrnithorhyficJms, a mammal that lays eggs. 



