j6 Report of the President 



9,000 specimens, of which about 7,000 are from South Amer- 

 ica, about 400 from China, and the remainder from various 

 sources, fully nine tenths of the whole having been received 

 through Museum expeditions. 



Four habitat groups of mammals have been placed on exhi- 

 bition during the year, as follows: Black-tailed Jack-rabbit 

 Group, Pack- rat Group, Rocky Mountain Goat 

 Group, Colobus Monkey Group. A Red Howler 

 (monkey) Group is nearly completed, and the Virginia Deer 

 Group is well under way. A Night-hawk Group, a Domestic 

 Pigeon Group and about 80 miscellaneous mounted specimens 

 have been added to the exhibition series of birds. 



A great event of the year is the provision of additional stor- 

 age room for both birds and mammals. The preparation of 

 space for the reception of a large number of metal 



£ tU i? y .. storage cases of the best modern type has neces- 

 Collections & . ;r 



sanly thrown both collections into more or less con- 

 fusion, which has been extended over a much longer period 

 than was anticipated, as the contractors were unable to deliver 

 the cases at the stipulated time. A part, however, have now 

 been received and the rest doubtless will soon be delivered. 

 Besides the addition of the new storage cases for the mammals, 

 small cardboard boxes and trays are being provided for the 

 skulls and skeletons of the small and medium-sized mammals, 

 not only more effectually to protect them from dust but to 

 prevent loss of parts in the case of disarticulated skeletons. 



The cataloguing of both collections is well up to date, as is 

 also the index catalogue of the mammals, great progress with 

 the latter having been made during the last year. It is now 

 expected that within the next few months the mammal collec- 

 tion will be placed in much safer condition than heretofore and 

 that the osteological material will become, for the first time in 

 the history of the department, conveniently available. 



During the early part of the year, the Congo collection, 

 received late in 191 5, was unpacked and the specimens dis- 



