54 REPORT OF NATIONAL, MUSEUM, 1924 



the District of Columbia animal exhibit. Owing to the necessity of 

 giving up one of the rooms formerly occupied by this exhibit, a 

 readjustment and reinstallation had to be undertaken. An interest- 

 ing exhibit of " whale bone " showing the difference in its structure 

 and appearance in the various speciBS was prepared and installed 

 in the whale hall. 



The work of caring for and recording the study series in the vari- 

 ous divisions has been attended to in the usual manner. 



In the division of mammals 30 quarter-unit and 6 half-unit cases 

 Avere received during the fiscal year for the storing of skins and 

 small skulls and skeletal material, while 8 quarter-unit cases have 

 been added to the storage facilities for large skulls and skeletons 

 in the attic. The entire collection stored there is in a crowded con- 

 dition especially the larger skins, 17 quarter-unit cases having been 

 added for the further arrangement and storage of the cetacean collec- 

 tion. The small skulls and skeletons have all been placed in cases, but 

 the greater part will need rearrangement and spreading. A card 

 index of all whale material is being made and practically completed. 

 Of the general skin collection, 14 quarter-unit cases containing types 

 and 7 half-unit and 2 quarter-unit cases, consisting of the entire 

 collection of marsupials, except the larger kangaroos, were re- 

 moved from the mammal range, and placed in a small room on 

 the ground floor, northwest corner. Considerable work has been 

 done in the alcoholic collection, most of it consisting in identifica- 

 tion and general rearrangement of the material. The condition of 

 all the material is good. The taxidermists have prepared as stuely 

 specimens 70 tanned skins and 50 made-up skins. Work on clean- 

 ing large and medium skulls and skeletons by the Museum .force 

 has resulted as follows: Skulls 223; skeletons 105. Work on small 

 and medium-sized skulls and skeletons has resulted in the cleaning 

 of 442 skulls and 52 skeletons. This work is in a satisfactory con- 

 dition. 



In the division of birds the work of distributing the identified 

 material and of shifting and rearranging due to accumulation of 

 new material has been continued. A very few new quarter-unit 

 cases and one half-unit case were provided this year, but not enough 

 to take care of the unexpected increase in certain parts of the col- 

 lection. The study collection of skins is in a very satisfactory 

 condition. It is of course impossible to predict in advance where 

 more storage will be needed, and when the new material is to be 

 distributed in the systematic series, it is often found necessary to 

 provide for it by inserting a new case over a crowded one and 

 respacing the material. A large number of skins received from the 

 field collectors during the year were in such condition as to require 



