REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 73 



THE WORK OF THE MUSEUM PREP ABATORS. 



TAXIDERMISTS AND MODELERS. 



Taxidermy. — The construction of additional groups of important spe- 

 cies of North American mammals has been the chief work of the year. 

 The largest group finished was that of the Moose, which comprises six 

 individuals of both sexes and of different ages. This group is some- 

 what larger than that of the Bison, which was completed last year, and 

 is, indeed, the largest group thus far exhibited. It is in most respects 

 quite as satisfactory as the Bison group, and perhaps more striking. 

 The work was planned by Mr. Hornaday, and executed by Mr. Joseph 

 Palmer and Mr. A. H. Forney. Three specimens of the Musk-ox were 

 removed from the wall-case and brought together to form a group. 

 They were considered sufficiently valuable to merit a more prominent 

 place than they had previously occupied. One of the specimens was 

 partially remounted. 



A number of additional groups of mammals were nearly or quite 

 completed during the year, but have not yet been placed on exhibition. 

 The taxidermists mounted in all 32 mammals during the year, including 

 the large forms previously mentioned. In addition, 24 mammals were 

 skinned and 50 dry skins made up. Casts were made of certain of 

 the specimens received in a fresh condition, to be used as aids in mount- 

 ing the skins. As in former years, a large amount of miscellaneous 

 work, such as cleaning greasy specimens, overhauling duplicate wet 

 skins, repairing mounted specimens, preparing preservatives, etc., was 

 performed. This necessary work consumes a great deal of time, but 

 produces no direct effect in increasing the exhibition series. 



The modeler performed various tasks for the Anthropological Depart- 

 ment of the Museum, such as making casts of stone implements, in- 

 scriptions, bas-reliefs, etc. He also made casts of a number of fishes 

 and of some porpoise-heads, the molds of which had been in the Museum 

 for some time. 



At the close of the year the Museum lost the valuable services of 

 Mr. W. T. Hornaday, who resigned his position as Chief Taxidermist. 



In April Mr. William Palmer was instructed to proceed to the Pri- 

 bylov Islands, Alaska, to hunt walrus for the Museum. He was still 

 absent at the end of the year covered by this report. 



OSTEOLOGIST. 



Mr. F. A. Lucas, Osteologist, states that, as in preceding years, the 

 care of material already in the collections has demanded much time and 

 attention. Owing to insufficient room, frequent changes have been 

 made necessary in the arrangement of the study series. 



The placing of casters on the storage bases in the osteological hall 

 necessitated moving the greater portion of the study series, as well as 

 all the smaller mounted specimens in the exhibition series. 



