68 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



we are now reasonably sure that none of the fabrics are infested 

 with destructive insects. We are still troubled by the entrance 

 of dust into the cases caused by the minute particles of cement 

 dislodged from the floor. There can be no adequate remedy 

 until means are at hand to coat the cement properly with a prepara- 

 tion that will prevent the formation of dust through abrasion. 



The Iroquois habitat and culture-history groups in the Governor 

 Myron H. Clark Hall of Iroquois Ethnology are constantly receiv- 

 ing attention and care. This is necessary not only on account of 

 the value of the groups, but owing to the necessity of inspecting 

 the electric wiring, protecting the contents from destruction by 

 moths and keeping the acessories in a state of good preservation. 

 During the year all six have been poisoned with a cyanide gas and 

 all fur garments sprayed with mercury bichloride. 



The physical condition of the groups is good and no signs of 

 deterioration have become visible since their installation. An effort 

 is made to preserve the proper humidity and to keep the tempera- 

 ture at the uniform degree of 72. Screened ventilators permit 

 the exit of air heated by the electric lamps to a point above nor- 

 mal. There is thus a constantly automatic breathing by the cases. 



The detached rooms on each end of this mezzanine are at pres- 

 ent serving for other purposes than ethnological exhibits, but only 

 temporarily so. The westmost room, near Swan street, is employed 

 as a convenient lecture hall for museum lectures. The room at the 

 opposite end, at the center of the building, is designed to contain a 

 bark lodge, to be furnished completely with Iroquois utensils. At 

 present the room contains an exhibit of plows, illustrating the 

 evolution of the plow and the plowshare in America. 



The hall of archeology is in the eastmost mezzanine. The cases 

 are crowded and there appears to be no room for expansion. The 

 most recent section of the Museum has completely outgrown 

 the quarters assigned to it, and this within the period during which 

 the collections have been installed in the Education Building. Only 

 by carefully selecting the specimens and by restricting the exhibits 

 is it possible to display what we have. There remains but little 

 room for the exhibition of the many relief maps, models and 

 restorations that were originally contemplated. The only relief 

 will be to disjoint and disassociate the collections and remove a 

 section to the west end of the building and eliminate the lecture 

 room. 



The archeological collections on exhibition are receiving con- 



