REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY IN THE 

 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



By Frederick W. True, Curator. 



The establishment of a Department of Comparative Anatomy, or rather 

 of comparative osteology, was in reality effected many years ago, and 

 long before the present Museum building was erected. A large series 

 of skulls of mammals, a considerable number of mounted skeletons* of 

 representatives of all the classes of vertebrates, together with certain 

 vertebrate fossils, were displayed in cases in the balcony of the main 

 hall of the Smithsonian building. Much additional material was placed 

 in storage. 



From the beginning separate registers were keiJt for the osteological 

 material, and in reorganizing the department, therefore, there has been 

 no need to transcribe or change the numbers on the specimens. 



In 1882 Dr. E. W. Shufeldt, IJ. S. A., volunteered to work upon the 

 bird skeletons, and did much to put that part of the collection in order. 



In 1883 the entire collection of skulls and unmounted skeletons of 

 mammals was removed from the Smithsonian building to one of the 

 courts in the Museum, where it was overhauled and classified and finally 

 placed in table-cases in the east south range. This was an immense 

 task and occupied nearly three-fourths of the year. 



In 1884 the first steps were taken towards the installation of an ex- 

 hibition series. A large case was built on the north side of the range 

 and a raised base for the south side planned. A number of the larger 

 whale skeletons were suspended from the roof. 



Thus far the collection represented only mammalian osteology, but at 

 the beginning of the present year the plans for the establishment of a 

 Department of Comparative Anatomy, considered during 1883 and 1884, 

 were adopted, and all the accessible anatomical material was brought 

 together. The department was therefore in reality established, or rather 

 reorganized, at the beginning of the present year, although in the re- 

 ports of 1883 and 1884 a curator of comparative anatomy and an assistant 

 are already mentioned among the officers of the Museum. 



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