64 



EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1888. 



repaired two Mexican idols, made a cast of the head of a large moose 

 (in the flesh), and repaired a large group of serpents cast from nature. 

 During the month of June Mr. Palmer took molds of the celebrated 

 Cauopus inscriptions, of a large Assyrian obelisk, and two large sculpt- 

 ured slabs in the Episcopal Seminary of Fairfax County, Virginia, at 

 Alexandria. 



(&) OSTEOLOGICAL PrePARATOR. 



The work of preparing and arranging osteological material has been 

 greatly interrupted during the past year. 



During the months of July and August Mr. Lucas was absent on a 

 collecting trip to ^Newfoundland and Labrador, while Mr. Scollick, the 

 only assistant, was for seven weeks unable to do any work on account 

 of sickness. 



In November the work-rooms were transferred from the Armory to 

 the Laboratory building, together with a considerable amount of ma- 

 terial on storage at the former place. 



The re-arrangement of the Museum halls necessitated a complete 

 change in the disposition of the cases containing the exhibition series 

 of skeletons, while the growth of the collections rendered it necessary 

 to completely change the arrangement of the study series of birds. 



Finally, the month of June was largely devoted to packing specimens 

 for the Cincinnati Exposition. 



During the year the collection of alcoholic birds was transferred from 

 the basement of the Smithsonian to the Laboratory building, and while 

 some little work has been done in the way of arranging and caring for 

 them, a great deal of labor will be required to place this valuable col- 

 lection in thoroughly good order. 



Considerable time was spent in assorting the large and valuable col- 

 lection of bones of the extinct great Auk, secured by the Grampus ex- 

 pedition, and besides a mounted skeleton, other preparations have been 

 made relating to the history of this interesting bird. 



The following table gives a summary of the material received and of 

 the work of preparation accomplished during the year: 



