REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 29 



improved. Rear Admiral R. E. Peary, United States Navy, retired, deposited 

 the many medals conferred upon him by various geographical societies in rec- 

 ognition of his service to science in arctic exploration ; the silver model of a 

 ship and three loving cups presented to him ; and two of the flags that he 

 carried to the North Pole in 1909 ; all of which have been arranged together in 

 a single case. Important additions to the collection of memorials of the 

 Bailey-Myers-Mason family were received from Mrs. Julian James; valuable 

 memorials of the Salter and Codwise families of colonial and revolutionary 

 New York and New Jersey were lent by Miss Louise Salter Codwise ; and inter- 

 esting relics of the Schenck family of New Jersey dating back three generations 

 were contributed by Dr. Clara S. Ludlow. The Gustavus Vasa Fox collection 

 of Russian memorials was materially increased, and 11 pieces of furniture 

 that once belonged to Gen. Rufus Putnam were received as a gift from his 

 great-grandson, the late Judge E. M. P. Brister. An inhaler of the type used 

 by Dr. William T. G. Morton in 1846, in the first operation which he performed 

 with the use of ether as an anesthetic, and two busts of Dr. Morton were 

 presented. 



NATIONAL GALLERY OF AET. 



The paintings of the National Gallery of Art continue to be exhibited in the 

 large middle hall of the new building, the central part of which was specially 

 fitted up for the purpose in 1910. While these quarters are already too re- 

 stricted for the needs of the Gallery, the excellent lighting of this space makes 

 possible an entirely satisfactory installation, which has attracted much 

 attention. 



Mr. William T. Evans, of New York, added 13 canvases to his notable collec- 

 tion of the works of cod temporary American painters, which now comprises 127 

 pictures representing 90 artists. Mr. Evans also presented 81 examples of a 

 series of 100 proofs designed to illustrate the work of the foremost American 

 wood engravers, which he announced some time ago his intention to contribute. 

 Mr. Charles L. Freer, whose important gift to the Nation of American and ori- 

 ental art still remains in his keeping at Detroit, Mich., secured many valuable 

 additions for his collection during an extended trip abroad, much of which was 

 spent in China. The Gallery was fortunate in obtaining several interesting 

 loans, including numerous examples of the paintings of early masters, and 

 contributed to a number of important exhibitions held in other cities. 



ART TEXTILES. 



The loan collection of laces and other art textiles, which occupies one of the 

 northern ranges in the older Museum building, was very largely increased 

 both numerically and in the variety of its contents. Thirty-two loan contri- 

 butions and three gifts, comprising 249 specimens, many of great beauty and 

 value, brought the total number of specimens on exhibition up to 1,007. The 

 supervision of the collection has been continued by Mrs. James W. Pinchot, 

 to whose initiative and subsequent efforts, with the arctive cooperation of a 

 number of ladies of Washington, the movement owes its success. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Of duplicate specimens taken from the collections, over 3,000, principally of 

 recent animals and fossils, were distributed to schools and colleges, and about 

 23,500 were used in making exchanges. Approximately 24,600 specimens of 

 various kinds were sent for study to specialists both in this country and abroad, 

 mainly to be worked up and identified for the Museum. 



18308°— sm 1911 3 



