EEPORT OF THE SECKETARY. 29 



probably not proceed much farther. Careful observations and 

 measurements will, hoAvever, be made at intervals of a few months 

 to determine if any further displacement occurs. 



By the acquisition of 37 exhibition cases and 116 pieces of storage, 

 laboratory, and office furniture, there were on hand at the close of 

 the year 3,679 exhibition cases and 11,572 pieces of storage, labora- 

 tory, office, and other furniture, besides 83,500 drawers, trays, boxes, 

 and wing frames. 



COLLECTIONS. 



The total number of specimens acquired by the Museum during 

 the j'^ear was approximately 359,676. Additional material to the 

 extent of 995 lots, chiefly geological, was received for special exam- 

 ination and report. Nearly 20,000 specimens were lent to special- 

 ists for study, mainl}^ on behalf of the Museum, and about 33,000 

 specimens were sent, out in exchange, for which the Museum re- 

 ceived valuable material. Over 10,000 duplicate specimens were 

 used as gifts to educational establishments. Of these nearly half 

 were contained in regular sets of labeled material previously pre- 

 jaared for shipment, and the remainder comprised specially selected 

 lots to meet particular cases. The duplicates were chiefly fossil 

 invertebrates, minerals, and ores, material illustrating rock weather- 

 ing and soil formation, miscellaneous geological material, mollusks, 

 and marine invertebrates, with smaller lots of specimens from the 

 collections of insects, mammals, fishes, birds, archeolog}^, ethnology, 

 textiles, physical anthropology, and wood technology. 



Anthropology. — Collections in unusual number and of scientific 

 vulue were received by the department of anthropology. Especially 

 worthy of praise is the Herbert Ward African collection, hereto- 

 fore mentioned, given to the Museum by Mrs. Herbert Ward. 

 This collection, forming one of the most important ethnological 

 units in the world, was begun by Herbert Ward in Africa during 

 the first great period of exploitation by Livingstone and Stanley. 

 It consists of 2,700 specimens of African ethnologica and is illus- 

 trated by 19 superb sculptures in bronze by Mr. Ward. The whole 

 collection is displayed to advantage in the halls of ethnology in 

 the Natural History Building. 



Through the friendly offices of the Archaeological Society of 

 Washington, the division of American archeology received a large 

 collection of the brilliant ancient pottery from the ruins of Casas 

 Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico. The remarkable aboriginal ceramics 

 collected by Dr. J. Walter Fewkes in the neighboring region, the 

 Mimbres Valley, N. Mex., were placed on public view. From the 

 National Geographic Society's expedition in Chaco Canyon, N. 

 16984—22 3 



