50 Report of the President 



to the gallery. It has been arranged under a window in such 

 a way that artificial light need not be used. 



Amphibians and Reptiles. — The department is especially 

 indebted to the New York Zoological Society, through its 

 Director, Dr. Hornaday, and its Curator of Reptiles, Mr. 

 Ditmars, for the donation of a large number of rare forms. 

 And it is from these, in many cases, that models have been 

 cast and colored. As already noted, excellent progress has 

 been made in preparing accurate models for the synoptic 

 series, much to the improvement of the exhibition hall. This 

 has also been bettered by a rearrangement of cases, which 

 have now been transposed from the south to the east end 

 of the large (east) hall on the second floor, and have been 

 so placed that they form a partition separating the exhibits 

 of amphibia-reptiles more completely from the rest of the 

 large hall. Adjoining this gallery a room is now provided as 

 a home for the "habitat" groups of reptiles and amphibians. 

 This is practically a separate room, circular in outline, in the 

 tower, and can be kept darkened — an especial advantage, since 

 the visitor may stand in shadow and look on all sides into 

 cases brightly lighted, after the fashion of the new "habitat" 

 bird groups. The success of the first group in this gallery, 

 showing bullfrogs, was immediate and encouraging. The in- 

 troduction of a number of other "habitat" groups in separate 

 cases in the main gallery has already been noted. 



Study Collections. — Study material, as mounted speci- 

 mens, or preserved in formalin or alcohol, has increased to 

 such a degree that the room for its storage has become inade- 

 quate. A neighboring storeroom accordingly has been pro- 

 vided by the Director, and in this, as well as in the old room, 

 a series of new metal storage cases, after the Washington 

 scheme, will be installed. 



Aquarium Exhibits. — In order to give the exhibits in the 

 halls of recent and fossil fishes a living interest, a number of 

 small "balanced" (still water) aquaria have been installed. 

 In the Hall of Recent Fishes the aquaria are arranged to illus- 



