REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1924 83 



necessitating a partial rearrangement of the tungsten, tin, copper, 

 and manganese cases. 



Better material has replaced a number of specimens in the sys- 

 tematic series of minerals. The case of recent accessions has been 

 practically rearranged by the substitution of new material, and the 

 case of radioactive minerals was materially improved by the intro- 

 duction of material from the Belgian Congo received during the 

 year. Temporary pedestal exhibits include a large calamine pre- 

 sented by Colonel Eoebling, and two large specimens of chalcopyrite. 

 Some rearrangement of the gem collection was necessary in order 

 to accommodate new additions. These cases, in fact, require con- 

 stant care, since the slightest jar is liable to displace the stones. 



The exhibition and floor space of the various divisions of the de- 

 partment will be fairly well filled with the installation of the large 

 dinosaur, now engaging the full time of the force in vertebrate 

 paleontology. This work, however, will require some years for com- 

 pletion. Future exhibition work here must consist largely in the 

 replacement of inferior material for that which is new and better. 

 The exhibits are for the most part well labeled and the halls fully 

 supplied with guide labels, each on a separate stand. 



"Work in the laboratories and offices has proceeded along the usual 

 lines. The sets of Survey material which last year were reported as 

 awaiting permanent filing, have been put away, a large series of well 

 borings being now the only material of this kind needing attention. 

 The problem of the final disposition of this has not yet been solved. 

 The study collections in mineralogy have increased in value owing 

 to the introduction of much that is new, Doctor Foshag reporting 

 that, so far as species are concerned, it is now over 80 per cent com- 

 plete. A rearrangement of the study collection of rocks was made 

 necessary in order to take care of the large petrographic reference 

 series mentioned above. The study series of invertebrate fossils 

 has again been expanded. Space for this was made possible by trans- 

 ferring to the biological department certain recent corals stored in 

 the rooms formerly occupied by Dr. T. W. Vaughan, and substituting 

 Cambrian collections. These changes admit of such an expansion of 

 the Paleozoic series in general that a logical arrangement is now pos- 

 sible. 



Curator Bassler has been occupied with the arrangement and clas- 

 sification of the Lacoe, Austin, and Teller collections. The first two 

 have now been put in good museum form, but the last named is so 

 large that its arrangement will occupy a considerable part of the 

 coming year. A storage room on the third floor becoming available, 

 the space was assigned for the reception of the Lacoe library of 

 paleontological literature. This was unpacked, catalogued, and is 

 now housed in compartments made as dustproof as practicable. In 



