108 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



But the character of the natural history taught in schools and col- 

 leges at present, though perhaps useful as an element of general culture, 

 is not fitted to produce systematic students or good museum assistants. 

 A smattering of physiology, a confused notion of embryology, a vast 

 admiration for high-flying hypotheses, and a sort of contempt for sys- 

 tematic zoology and the hard study and drudgery that it requires, are 

 poorly adapted to produce the qualifications needed in a great museum. 

 As a matter of fact they do not produce them ; and this class of biologi- 

 cal workers has ceased to gain any recruits from the university students. 



It is to be hoped that the need of such workers, when attention has 

 been called to it, may find some other suitable source of supply, for it 

 is evident that, unless it does, when the present generation has retired 

 from its labors there will be no persons qualified to succeed them. The 

 proposition to take into the Museum service, as aids or working students, 

 young persons interested in natural history, with a view to supplying the 

 anticipated need from such as proved suitable, is worthy of considera- 

 tion. The pay should be small ; for any rate of pay large enough to be 

 in itself an object will invite parasites not acceptable in any sense, and 

 no one who has not the necessary devotion to put money considerations 

 aside, at least until he has won his spurs, would be a permanently de- 

 sirable acquisition to the corps of workers. 



Under present circumstances the weight of clerical labor falling upon 

 the curator of this department, and probably of other departments, is 

 very great, and absorbs a very large proportion of his time which might 

 be devoted to a higher grade of work. Everything which diminishes 

 the time given to such matters contributes to the efficiency of the Mu- 

 seum corps. 



I would veuture the suggestion that stated, say monthly, meetings of 

 the Assistant Director, the curators, assistant curators, and others en- 

 gaged in the administration of the different departments would be of 

 much use. At such meetings methods of labeling, preparing, and ex- 

 hibiting material could be compared ; standard schedules of materials, 

 such as boxes, trays, bottles, &c, discussed and decided upon so as to 

 unify more completely the methods in use in the different sections 5 and 

 the experience of the different curators utilized in matters involving 

 money, time, and labor. 



The introduction of estimates by the curators for material needed 

 during the coming year, for the information and consideration of the 

 Assistant Director, has been a decided step in advance in the methods 

 of organization of the Museum work. I would respectfully suggest 

 that another step is needed to complete this mode of co-operation be- 

 tween the officers of the Museum and its directing authority. That is, 

 that, when the allotments have been decided upon, an official letter 

 should be addressed to each curator informing him of the decision in 

 regard to his estimates, so that he may have official knowledge of what 

 his working material for the year is going to consist. 



I would also recommend that, in addition to its list of accessions, the 



