792 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXIII. No. 594. 



ducing and oxidizing agents, but goods dyed 

 with, it surpass those dyed with indigo in 

 their stability to light and resistance to oxi- 

 dation. It is, as yet, uncertain whether thio- 

 indigo will have any technical value. 



J. Bishop Tingle. 

 Johns Hopkins University. 



RECENT MUSEUM REPORTS. 



In reading the Report of the U. S. National 

 Museum for 1903-1904 one is struck with the 

 liberality displayed in permitting the use of 

 material and in publishing the results of the 

 labors of others than its regular staff. The 

 bibliography of papers based in whole, or in 

 part, on its collections contains some eighty 

 names. Much is done for the public at large in 

 the way of furnishing information and identi- 

 fying specimens. Perhaps these may be among 

 the causes that have delayed the publication of 

 the report for something over a year and a half, 

 although the report proper was issued as a 

 separate in 1905. Owing to this delay we have 

 an account of the commencement of work on 

 the new museum building when the basement 

 story is now largely built. In view of the 

 cramped quarters occupied at present and the 

 need of extensive repairs to the roof of the 

 old museum building it is to be hoped that 

 work may progress rapidly. Among the more 

 important accessions noted are ethnological 

 and zoological collections from the Malay 

 Archipelago and Philippines, obtained by Dr. 

 W. L. Abbott and Dr. E. A. Mearns. The 

 most extensive additions are in the depart- 

 ments of botany and entomology, the rapid 

 growth of the latter department during the 

 past few years making the collection of in- 

 sects one of the most important in the world; 

 the collection of musical instruments is also 

 in the foremost rank. This in spite of the 

 fact that the museum has always been sadly 

 hampered in obtaining desirable specimens by 

 the small appropriation — $10,000 — for their 

 purchase. Even this paltry sum (paltry for 

 a national institution) less than some mu- 

 seums pay for a single object, was struck out 

 of the appropriation for 1905. 



Attention is called to the smallness of the 

 museum staff in comparison with the work 



required of them, and it may also be said that 

 this is all the greater owing to the coinpre- 

 hensive scope of the museum collections. 

 There are those who believe that this is 

 greater than any one museum can justly cover, 

 and consider that a readjustment of the collec- 

 tions to form at least three separate museums 

 would be advantageous and result in better 

 support by congress. 



As usual the report includes papers based 

 on the collections or work of the museum. 

 . This year there are only three such articles, 

 but one, ' Contributions to the History of 

 American Geology,' by George P. Merrill, is 

 a book in itself, giving a consecutive history 

 of the rise and progress of geology in this 

 country from 1785 to 18Y9. Furthermore, 

 there are chapters on the ' Fossil Footprints 

 of the Connecticut Valley,' ' The Eozoon 

 Question,' ' The Laramie Question ' and ' The 

 Taconic Question.' There are portraits of 

 many, if not most, of the well-known geolo- 

 gists of the United States, the whole forming 

 a most important, much-needed, and, withal, 

 readable work. 



The Annual Report of the Director of the 

 Field Columbian Museum for 1904^1905 

 marks the steady progress of this institution, 

 not the least important event being the con- 

 sideration of the plans for a new building. 

 It is to be earnestly hoped that this may be 

 commenced without further delay to furnish 

 proper housing for the collections. 



Important accessions are noted, especially 

 by purchase, this being a most satisfactory 

 way in which to acquire specimens since only 

 those are obtained that are needed ; many min- 

 erals, botanical and ethnological objects were 

 secured in this way. No less than thirteen 

 field parties were sent out during the year, 

 the expedition to the Bahamas resulting in 

 many additions to the herbarium, while the 

 department of geology secured important ma- 

 terial from the White River Beds, including 

 skulls of Brontops, Hyracodon, Aceratherium 

 and various creodonts. From the results of 

 collecting in former years one fine skuU of 

 Triceratops has been prepared and placed on 

 exhibition and another partially worked out. 



