8 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



PROGRESS IN CLASSIFICATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE STUDY 



SERIES. 



The final classification and arrangement of the material is a work of 

 great moment,- and the curator who makes progress in this direction is 

 forwarding the legitimate objects of the Museum quite as much as if 

 his whole time had been devoted to the acquirement of new material. 

 Until a collection has been classified and arranged, it is of little or no 

 use to visitors and students. Referring to the zoological collections, 

 Professor Henry wrote in his report for 1856: "However valuable 

 these collections may be in themselves, they are but the rough materials 

 from which science is to be evolved, and so long as the specimens re- 

 main undescribed and their places undetermined in the system of or- 

 ganized beings, though they may serve to gratify an unenlightened 

 curiosity, they are of no importance in the display of the laws of life." 



The reports of the curators for the year give evidence of a steady for- 

 ward movement in the work of classification and arrangement. 



DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXHIBITION SERIES. 



The general appearance of the exhibition halls has been somewhat 

 improved during the year. The Grant relics have been placed in cases 

 and have proved of much interest to the visitors. Considerable material 

 has been gathered for the collection illustrating the graphic arts. 



The east and west halls have been made attractive by the installation 

 of the ethnological collection. The arrangement of Eskimo tools and 

 implements is very satisfactory. The arch geological collection is still 

 exhibited in the upper floor of the Smithsonian building, and its ar- 

 rangement is thorough and excellent. New cases have been constructed 

 for the mammal collection, which is now being overhauled with a view 

 to introducing a more satisfactory system of classification. The collec- 

 tion of birds still remains in the Smithsonian building, and although 

 the hall, in which it is now, is entirely unfit for the purpose, no 

 change for the better can be made until an additional building has 

 been provided. There are now 7,000 specimens of birds on exhibi- 

 tion. The reptile collection is still stored away in the laboratory of the 

 department on account of lack of room, a few casts of snakes and turtles, 

 which are exhibited in the Smithsonian building, being the only rep- 

 resentatives of tbis collection. The exhibition series of fishes, now 

 numbering 34,000 specimens, is still unprovided with proper accommo- 

 dations, and is installed temporarily in the Smithsonian building. The 

 department of Mollusks has filled a few cases in the Smithsonian build- 

 ing with very interesting material., but nothing more can be done at 

 present on account of lack of room. The same may be said in regard 

 to the department of Insects, whose exhibit, when proper space can be 

 provided, will probably become one of the most popular in the Museum. 

 The ostcological hall continues to present a very satisfactory appearance, 

 which is enhanced by the effective method of labeling and installation 



