Jan., 1921. Annual Report of the Director. 



393 



these were thoroughly overhauled and stout fastenings provided. Also, 

 from fourteen of the cases in Frederick J. V. Skiff Hall the burlap linings 

 which had become torn and discolored from long usage, were removed 

 and new, freshly dressed linings substituted. Blocks nimibering 2,600 

 used for mounting individual specimens and various other moimts used 

 in this hall were also repainted and the shelves of many of the cases 

 were braced with strong wooden supports so as to guard against possible 

 breakage of the shelves from the weight of specimens. A large number 

 of other supports or fixtures, such as easels, frames, pedestals, etc., used 

 in this and other halls of the department were also repainted. 



The space assigned for the exhibition cases of the department in 

 the new building consists of five halls on the second floor of the western 

 section of the building. Four of these halls, 180 ft. by 42 ft., in dimen- 

 sion, have their greatest length in an east and west direction and one, 

 317 ft. by 48 ft., has a principal north and south range. Of the four halls 

 extending east and west, that on the north side of the building con- 

 tains the systematic collection of minerals, the meteorite collection and 

 part of a collection illustrating physical geology. The systematic 

 mineral collection occupies the eastern half of the hall. It is installed 

 in 32 cases, 16 of which are of a sloping-top type and 16 of a tall, upright 

 type. The cases are arranged on either side of the hall so as to form 

 alcoves, each alcove except the first being bounded by a tall case on each 

 side and containing a sloping-top case in the center. Each alcove is 

 twelve feet deep and including the side cases, fourteen feet wide. Each 

 is lighted by a pair of windows at one end. The sides of the alcoves are 

 made by the tall cases being placed at right angles to the length of the 

 hall, one end of each resting against a pilaster of the wall between the 

 windows. A broad, middle aisle sixteen feet in width permits free passage 

 through the center of the hall. The mineral collection is arranged in 

 these cases according to the order of Dana's system, a number on the 

 label of each specimen showing the position of the specimen in the sys- 

 tem. For the most part, the large specimens are shown in the tall cases 

 at the sides of the alcoves and the smaller specimens in the lower, central 

 cases. The re-installation of this collection was completed during the 

 year, the specimens being for the most part installed in the positions 

 and cases which they had occupied in the old building, but some altera- 

 tions necessitated by changes of orientation of the cases were made. The 

 total nimiber of specimens now on display in this collection is 4,476. 

 In the re-installation of all the collections of the department, the system 

 of marking described in a previous report, by which the position of each 

 specimen in installation was indicated by a label wrapped with the 

 specimen, proved of great assistance in securing rapid and accurate 



