26 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



E.— THE MUSEUM STAFF. 



THE SCIENTIFIC STAFF. 



During the year, the departments of "Lithology and Physical Geol- 

 ogy" and "Metallurgy and Economic Geology " havebeen united under 

 the designation of the Department of Geology. Since the organization 

 of the departments in the National Museum in 1881, these departments 

 have until now been kept entirely distinct, and each department has 

 been under the control of a curator. It has been thought for some time, 

 however, that it would be advantageous to the administration of the 

 Museum to combine the work of these closely allied departments, and 

 this was finally carried into effect on October 1, 1889, upon the resigna- 

 tion of Mr. F. P. Dewey. Mr. George P. Merrill is now in charge of the 

 Department of Geology. 



Mr. Romyn Hitchcock, who on July 31, 1886, was furloughed to 

 enable him to visit Japan as an instructor in the University of Tokio, 

 returned January 20, 1889, and has again resumed his duties as curator 

 of the collection of Foods and Textiles. 



The Smithsonian collection of scientific instruments, which some years 

 ago was transferred to the custody of the National Museum, has re- 

 ceived some additions during the year, and has been placed under the 

 charge of Mr. W. 0. Winlock, curator of the Bureau of International 

 Exchanges of the Smithsonian Institution. 



In June, 1890, Dr. Frank Baker, Assistant Superintendent of the U. S. 

 Life Saving Service, resigned his position to accept an appointment 

 as curator of Comparative Anatomy in the National Museum. This 

 department has for many years been administered upon by Mr. F. W. 

 True as acting curator. Dr. Baker will not, however, at present assume 

 the duties of this position, having received from the Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution a temporary appointment as acting manager 

 of the National Zoological Park. 



Mr. William T. Hornaday, for several years chief taxidermist, was on 

 May 9, 1888, appointed curator of the Department of Living Animals. 

 On May 6, 18S9, he was placed in charge of the National Zoological 

 Park ; and on June 15, 1889, resigned this position. The collection of 

 living animals hitherto under the care of the Museum has now been 

 transferred to the custody of Dr. Frank Baker, as acting manager of 

 the Zoological Park. 



At the request of Prof. C. V. Eiley, Mr. John B. Smith, formerly 

 assistant curator of Insects in the National Museum, was engaged 

 from January 3 to February 3, 1890, to work upon the collection of 

 Noctitidce. 



Mr. William Harvey Brown, of the National Museum, accompanied 

 the Government " Eclipse Expedition " to Africa for the purpose of 

 collecting natural history specimens for the Museum. The expedition 



