REPORT 01 wr hi i: i l 1 1 >B 



trial art, for instance, the wealth of the Museum is exceedingly great, 

 but until cases have been built and Labels printed it is impossible prop- 

 erly to display it. 



Although \<'i\ much has been done for the developmenl of the exhi- 

 bition and study series, i I is certain thai during the years L885and 1886 

 the Museum will improve in attractiveness to the visitor and general 

 student, and in convenience to the investigator and special student, f<> 

 a degree which lias not in past years been in any way approximated. 



The exhibition series lias been greatly extended during the year by 



the work which has hern dene lor the several expositions, UUmerOUS 



specimens having been mounted and labeled, which alter their return 

 may be placed at once OU exhibition. Many objects have been acquired 

 especially for use in this exposition work, which arc equally desirable 



for the regular exhibition work of the .Mn sen in. 



During this year, special improvements have been noted in the cxhi- 



bit ion halls devoted to mineralogy, Lithology and physical geology, 

 metallurgy and economic geology, textile industries, fisheries, and na- 

 val architecture. 



(c) Construction of cases. 



It is hardly necessary to remark that no part of the work of the Mu- 

 seum at present occupies so much of my attention as the construction of 

 cases, since the supply al present on hand is far from adequate to our 

 needs. The u furniture and fixtures appropriation ,? which Congress has 



made annually since L880 permits each year the building of a large 

 number of cases. At the same time the capacity of the Museum build- 

 ing, with its laboratories and work-rooms, is exceedingly great, and up 

 to the present time certainly not more than one half of tin 1 requisite 

 amount of case room has been obtained. In my previous report was 

 given a statement of the number of cases in the Museum at the begin- 

 ning of the year L883. Appended is a list of the cases added during 

 the year ISS-t:* 



(1.:?) Door-screen cases, 8.6 by 1.3 by 7 to 



(2.2) Door-screen cases, B.6 i».\ 2.2 by7 10 



(a in. ) I toor-son en cases, 8.6 bj a in. i>y 7 ... • 1 



D: 



(1.3) Sliding-screen cases, 8.6 bj 1.3 by 7 10 



(•i.'J) Sliding-si reen oases, B.6 by I M by / 10 



(2.6) Sliding-screen oases, 8.6 l>.\ 1.:: t>y 7 4 



( ase F: 



Fold-screen oases (half pillar) [0 



Fold-screen frames 300 



Slope-top oases 



Slope-top OaSCS f> 



It: 



Table upright cases 10 



Table aprigbl oases 6 



I: 



it- table casea K) 



Unit- table cases 19 



