54 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1888. 



November. — Tlie principal work of the month consisted in unpacking the exhibit 

 which had been returned from the Minneapolis Exposition. Tlie rearraugenienfc of 

 the material in their cases occupied much time. Such articles as were not required 

 for exhibition in the Museum were placed in storage. Alterations were made in the 

 natural history laboratory, and the walls of the various rooms painted. Double 

 doors were added to the Secretary's office. 



December. — During this month the sheds south of the Smithsonian building were 

 repaired and an additional shed was constructed. Cages and inclosures for the col- 

 lection of living animals were constructed. Many of the exhibition cases throughout 

 the buildings were repaired. Considerable work has been done in the Ornithological 

 Department. Many of the bird-cases have been reconstructed, new shelving has been 

 put in, and the cases have been painted inside and outside. 



1888. 



January. — A large number of cases hitherto in use in the north hall were removed 

 to different parts of the Museum building. These were replaced with others, thus 

 necessitating an entire rearrangement of the hall. This work occupied a large force 

 of men during several days. The food collection was removed from the northwest 

 range to the northeast court. The exhibit of the Entomological Department was re- 

 moved from the southeast court to the southeast range. The cases in the hall de- 

 voted to the fishery exhibit were rearranged. Twelve mahogany cases were received 

 for the exhibit of the Department of Graphic Arts and placed in position. Four 

 plates of glass, each 9 feet by 7 feet 3 inches, were successfully set in the case contain- 

 ing the mounted group of bisons. The entire Materia Medica collection was re- 

 arranged. A plank walk was constructed around the carpenter shop. The rooms 

 on the first floor east of the north entrance were fitted up for the accommodation of 

 the engineer of property. 



February. — During this month the east and west hall were rearranged undei the 

 supervision of Professor Mason, curator of the Department of Ethnology. The empty 

 exhibition cases and other property were removed from the southeast court in order 

 to make room for the exhibition of fossils and botanical specimens. The collection 

 of tiles was removed from the west hall to the southwest range. Several war relics, 

 which had been in the custody of the War Department, were transferred from the 

 Winder Bailding by Museum laborers and placed on exhibition in the National Mu- 

 seum. A section of a large California tree was brought from the residence of Senator 

 Leland Stanford. A storm-door was constructed at the north entrance to the Museum 

 building. Much of the time during this and the following month was occupied in 

 preparing the lecture hall for the annual course of Saturday lectures. Cases were 

 placed in the reconstructed portion of the west wing of the Smithsonian building. 

 A brick wall was built between the offices of the curator of fishes and of the curator 

 of marine invertebrates. The steam-pipes leading to the sheds south of the Smith- 

 sonian building were covered. 



March. — The Graphic Arts collection was placed in position. The exhibit illustrat- 

 ing the composition of the human body was removed from the northeast court to the 

 southeast range. The material in the old Armory building was overhauled prepara- 

 tory to a general cleaning. 



April. — The objects of stone and iron were removed from the shed on the east side 

 of the Museum building and the shed torn down. The lecture hall was fitted up 

 for stereopticon exhibition in the day-time, the windows being provided with screens, 

 so arranged as to be raised or lowered. Special preparations were made in arranging 

 the lecture hall for the meetings of the National Academy of Sciences. Walks were 

 laid to and from the shops in the rear of the Smithsonian building. 



Mail. — The work of constructing feed and shelter houses and other inclosures for the 

 collection of living animals occupied a considerable portion of the time of the laborers. 

 The spouting on the various buildings was repaired. The awnings were repaired and 

 placed on the windows. 



Jane. — The work of preparing an exhibit for the Ohio Valley Exposition at Cin- 

 cinnati was continued. A large additional force of mechanics and laborers was 

 employed, and by June 30 ten car-loads of exhibits had been forwarded to Cincinnati. 

 On June 25 Mr. Horan left for Cincinnati to superintend the arrangement of the ex- 

 hibit, which had been placed under the general supervision of Mr. R. E. Earll. 



During the last six mouths of this year two hundred and eighty-five lights of plate- 

 glass have been fitted in the cases assigned to the Department of Birds, replacing the 

 small lights of common glass hitherto in use in these cases. 



