REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS. 137 



The total Dumber of specimens In t lie collection is. therefore, as fol 



lows; 



Skins and alcoholic specimens 5, 89 1 



Skulls and skeletons 4,214 



Total 9,908 



Although no distributions have been made daring the year, a consid- 

 erable number of specimens have been temporarily loaned for study. 

 These are as follows : 



To Dr. G. E. Dobson, Netley, England 35 specimens = 35 species 



To F. W. Cragin, Manhattan, Kanfi 17 specimens = 17 species 



To Godinan & Salvin, London. England .... In' specimens = 16 species 



Total 68 specimens = 68 species 



RECOMMENDATIONS AND GENERAL REMARKS. 



In the exhibition series the original idea of having the North Ameri- 

 can fauna exhaustively represented is still adhered to; but, in addition, 

 every effort is being made to procure as many representative exotic 

 forms as possible. 



During the coming year the taxidermists will be engaged in mount- 

 ing the skins now in bath, beginning with the primates and following 

 through each lower order. By this plan the curator is saved a great 

 amount of labor in identifying and labeling the specimens, since it 

 enables him to deal with one branch of the literature at a time. It also 

 facilitates the work of estimating the number of new cases of each style 

 needed, and makes the growth of the collection apparent. 



Some provision must shortly be made for the protection of the larger 

 species, of which the Museum possesses some very fine and also unique 

 specimens. It is perhaps not too much to say that no museum in the 

 world has yet successfully solved the problem of proper casing for the 

 large mammalia, and it is evident, therefore, that a great amount of 

 thought must be bestowed upon the subject if this Museum is to succeed 

 where others have failed. 



During the coming year the organization of the Department of Com- 

 parative Anatomy will probably be effected. A large number of speci- 

 mens of the viscera of mammals have been accumulated, in the hope 

 that they may be of service in the formation of a comparative organo- 

 logies] collection. 



By a change in the location of the offices of the department, the 

 curator hopes to be able to place a reference series, especially of the North 

 American mammalia, where it will be more readily accessible than hith- 

 erto. In the present cramped condition neither books nor specimens 

 can be consulted without great inconvenience and Loss of time. 



