REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 73 



dermy, including game and water-birds, sparrows, and a few mammals, 

 while a number of Audubon's colored plates of North American birds 

 were framed and hung upon the walls. Two cases were devoted to y 

 large collection of plaster casts of the more common snakes and turtles 

 of the United States. The methods and apparatus employed in the 

 great ocean fisheries and in fish-culture were graphically represented 

 by means of two extensive series of photographs, the larger series be- 

 ing solar enlargements, having dimensions of 30 by 40 inches. In the 

 fisheries section was also shown a large and valuable collection of plas- 

 ter casts of the important food-fishes of the country, including both 

 fresh and salt water species. The collection of textile fabrics was very 

 complete, including samples of many American and foreign fabrics, 

 from the cheapest to the most expensive. Two alcoves, which attracted 

 considerable attention, were devoted to photo-lithographs of Japanese 

 pottery, and to a large collection of photographs showing the art and 

 sculpture of the early Saxons. 



As at Louisville, the collections were placed in charge of an attend- 

 ant, who looked after the interests of the Smithsonian during the con- 

 tinuance of the Exposition, and at its close the exhibits were packed, 

 and the bulk of them shipped to New Orleans, to be installed with 

 other exhibits at the Exposition in that city. 



NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 



It was not definitely known until the passage of the appropriations 

 for the New Orleans Exposition what amount of money would be placed 

 to the credit of the Smithsonian Institution, and it was, therefore, im- 

 possible to make any definite and detailed plans in connection with this 

 work ; but when the amount so appropriated had been ascertained, the 

 plans were matured, and immediately upon the shipment of the ma- 

 terials to the expositions at Louisville and Cincinnati, attention was 

 turned to the work of collecting, arranging, mounting, and labeling 

 materials for New Orleans. 



A force was organized by Professor Goode for this work, of which Mr. 

 R. Edward Earll was the executive officer and Mr. W. V. Oox was the 

 financial agent. The curators of several departments of the 'Museum 

 were designated by Professor Goode to undertake the preparation of 

 special exhibits for their respective departments, and definite sums of 

 money were placed at their disposal for this work. Such assistants as 

 were needed were furnished to each department for the preparation 

 and mounting of material ; and much of the duplicate material under 

 their charge in the Museum was utilized. A number of the curators 

 visited different localities for the purpose of obtaining specimens to 

 complete their series. Much of the material exhibited at Louisville 

 and Cincinnati was forwarded direct to New Orleans immediately 

 upon the close of those expositions, and by the middle of Novem- 

 ber the shipping of material from Washington was begun, and the en- 



