38 BEPORT OF THE SECEETAEY. 



in oonnection ^^•ith science teaching in the higher schools and colleges, 121, 

 aggregating over 14.000 specimens, were distributed during the year. Jn making 

 exchanges with scientific establislunents and individuals about the same num- 

 ber of duplicate specimens were utilized, but as an equivalent is obtained in 

 these transactions they directly benefit the collections. 



Exhibition halls. — The crowded state of the exhibition halls prevents any 

 extensive additions to the public collections, but specimens are frequently 

 received which are deemed of sufficient importance to replace others that have 

 been for some time on display, and the installations in all branches are being 

 constantly improved. In ethnology the interesting Malaysian collection of Dr. 

 W. L. Abbott and Philippine collection of Dr. E. A. jNIearns were substituted for 

 some of the older material from Polynesia ; the basketry collection was rear- 

 ranged and several conspicuous examples of the handiwork of the Indians of 

 southern Alaska were installed. To the exhibition in historic archeologj' were 

 added a series of biblical gems, coins of the Bible, oriental manuscripts, etc. 

 The entire collection of prehistoric archeology, occupying the large upper hall of 

 the Smithsonian building, recently renovated, is being thoroughly revised and 

 will soon again be opened to the public. The exhibits in technology received 

 some interesting accessions, especially in the lines of electrical apparatus, fire- 

 arms, and railroad appliances. In the gallery of ceramics the collection of 

 purelj' artistic ware in porcelain, glass, lacquer, and metal work was arranged 

 by countries in a series of separate cases. 



The most important additions in biology consisted of objects which had been 

 obtained and prepared for the ]Museum display at the Louisiana Purchase 

 Exposition, including a number of large exotic mammals, the skeleton and 

 oast of the exterior of a sulphur-bottom whale about 80 feet long, accurately 

 colored casts of several large snakes, and a fine set of models of deep-sea 

 fishes. The American faunal exhibit of insects was nearly completed, and the 

 synoptic series of marine invertebrates was enlarged. A number of large exam- 

 ples of important rocks and ores, besides several minerals and gems, were 

 added to the collections in geology, but the most noteworthy feature was a 

 skeleton of the great fossil Dinosaurian reptile, Triceratops prorsus, consisting 

 chiefly of the actual bones of this Cretaceous monster, the few missing parts 

 being reproduced in plaster. It stands 8 feet 2 inches high and measiu'es 

 19 feet 8 inches long. 



Visitors. — The Museum building was visited during the year by 235,921 per- 

 sons, and the Smithsonian building by 149,380 persons, making an average 

 daily attendance of 753 at the former and of 477 at the latter. 



Meetings and lectures. — The lecture hall was used during the last half of the 

 year for several important functions. On March 0. 1905, the Hon. Andrew D. 

 White delivered, before a distinguished audience, the first lecture under the 

 Hamilton fund of the Smithsonian Institution, his subject being " The diplo- 

 matic service of the United States, with some hints toward its reform." On 

 March 25 occurred the commencement exercises of the United States Naval 

 Medical School, the President of the United States being present and delivering 

 the diplomas to the graduates. Saturday afternoon lectures on zoological and 

 botanical subjects were given there from March 18 to April 22, under the 

 auspices of the Biological Society of Washington, the speakers being Dr. Albert 

 Mann, Dr. L. O. Howard, Dr. A. D. Hopkins, Dr. Geox-ge T. Moore, Mr. William 

 L. Underwood, and Dr. F. W. True. 



The regular annual session of the National Academy of Sciences was held 

 from April 18 to 20. the lecture hall being used for the public meetings and the 

 office of the Assistant Secretai-y for business purposes, and on May 3 the hall 



