32 KEPOET OF THE SECRETABY. 



in the promotion of knowledge, and duplicate specimens to ttie number of over 

 14,000 were distrii)uted to educational establishments throughout the country. 



Buildings and equipment. — The roofs of the Museum building have, as usual, 

 demanded most attention in the matter of repairs. The temporary strengthen- 

 ing a few years ago of the supporting iron framework over the main halls 

 has continued to be effective, but most of the slate covering had so far deterio- 

 rated that in 1904 the roof above the east hall was coated experimentally with 

 asphalt, burlap, and slag. Having answered its purpose through one season, 

 the roofs of the other halls and of the rotunda and one pavilion were similarly 

 treated during last year. The metal work upon the roofs also required extensive 

 overhauling, and several skylights were added. The 20 large windows in 

 archeological hall, which have been approaching a condition bordering upon 

 collapse, were completely repaired and made practically as strong as ever. 



In view of the crowded condition of all the public halls, the building of only 

 a few exhibition cases was called for. To provide, however, for the care and 

 arrangement of the very extensive accessions received during the year, mainly 

 from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the Government surveys, and a few 

 large private donations, a considerable amount of storage furniture was de- 

 manded. The number of permanent cases of this character constructed was 

 213, and of drawers 1,032, in addition to which much shelving was put up and 

 many boxes made for the storage of material in bulk and the distribution of 

 duplicates. 



The heating plant, with the addition of a few radiators, has given good 

 service. Steam was maintained from October 8, 1904, to May 2, 1905, on an 

 average of sixteen hours a day, the expenditure of coal amounting to 830 tons. 

 A new arrangement of telephones was effected at the beginning of the year 

 whereby the cost was materially reduced, and as a special fire precaution six 

 standard alarm boxes of the pattern used by the District of Columbia have 

 been installed in different parts of the Museum building. 



Organization and staff. — The organization of the Museum remains the same 

 as heretofore, except that a Department of Mineral Technology, with Dr. 

 Charles D. Walcott, Director of the United States Geological Survey, as cu- 

 rator, was established in the autumn of 1904, to permit of proper direction in 

 the selection of objects relating to this subject at the Louisiana Purchase 

 Exposition. 



Dr. Cyrus Adler was made curator, and Dr. I. M. Casanowicz assistant cu- 

 rator of the Division of Historic Archeology. In the Division of Plants Dr. 

 J. N. Rose was advanced to associate curator and Mr. W. R. Maxon to assistant 

 curator, the position of aid being filled by the appointment of Mr. J. H. Painter. 

 Dr. James E. Benedict, assistant curator of the Division of Marine Inverte- 

 brates, has supervised the exhibits in biology and had charge of the collections 

 of comparative anatomy. Mr. Herbert S. Barber was appointed aid in the 

 Division of Insects, and Mr. B. H. Ransom, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 

 assistant custodian of the Helminthological collections. 



Mr. Charles Schuchert, for some years assistant curator of Stratigraphie 

 Paleontology, who resigned to accept the professorship of paleontology in Yale 

 University, has been succeeded by Dr. Ray S. Bassler. Vacancies in the Sec- 

 tion of -Vertebrate Paleontology were filled by the selection of Mr. James W. 

 Gidley and Mr. Charles W. Gilmore as preparators, and of Mr. Norman H. 

 Boss as assistant preparator. 



The following gentlemen, to whom the Museum has become indebted for dis- 

 tinguished services or noteworthy contributions, were designated as honorary 

 associates : In historic archeology, Dr. Paul Haupt, of Johns Hopkins University ; 



