94 
Field  Columbian  Museum — Reports,  Vol.  i. 
consignments  of  material  from  foreign  ports.  In  this  connection, 
acknowledgment  should  be  made  to  the  Foreign  Office  of  Messrs. 
Marshall  Field  &  Company  for  continued  and  courteous  assistance. 
Departmental  Catalogue,  Inventory  and  Labeling. — The  cata- 
loguing of  specimens  in  the  Department  Inventories  is  progressing 
rapidly,  and  in  some  Departments  has  been  completed.  In  the 
Department  of  Anthropology,  the  numbering,  cataloguing  and  label- 
ing of  the  collections  has  been  interrupted  during  the  year  by  other 
more  essential  work,  but  large  numbers  of  specimens  have  been  iden- 
tified and  catalogued,  the  card  system  being  used  in  the  preliminary 
work  as  a  matter  of  convenience.  Much  advance  has  been  made  in 
the  work  of  labeling,  attention  having  first  been  given  to  general 
descriptive,  group,  and  case  labels.  A  most  important  feature  of 
this  work  is  being  carried  out  in  the  Egyptian  Section,  where 
Mr.  J.  H.  Breasted,  Egyptologist  of  the  Chicago  University,  is 
engaged  in  translating  the  numerous  hieroglyphic  texts  of  papyri, 
grave  tablets,  scarabs,  mummies,  etc.  The  results  will  first  be  applied 
to  the  writing  of  detailed  labels  for  the  collections,  and  afterward  to 
the  preparation  of  a  guide.  The  appointment  of  George  A. 
Dorsey  of  Cambridge  as  Assistant  Curator  in  Charge  of  Physical 
Anthropology,  has  made  it  possible  to  proceed  with  the  work  of 
identifying  and  cataloguing  the  material  in  this  important  division. 
The  Department  of  Botany  has  all  records  of  material  completed 
and  all  specimens  numbered  and  labeled.  This  not  only 
applies  to  the  case  specimens,  but  also  to  those  stored  away  as  dupli- 
cates. Specific  classification  is  far  from  complete,  however,  and 
descriptive  label  writing  is  only  begun.  The  Curator  of  Geology  has 
catalogued  the  entire  paleontological  collection,  and  new  material  is 
now  disposed  of  upon  arrival.  The  work  of  replacing  the  temporary 
by  printed  descriptive  labels  has  been  carried  forward  as  opportunity 
permitted,  and  enough  has  been  done  in  this  direction  to  add  largely 
to  the  popular  interest  in  the  material.  In  Economic  Geology,  the 
year  has  been  marked  by  the  most  patient  and  steady  devotion  to 
cataloguing  and  labeling!  As  a  result,  the  records  of  the  Depart- 
ment are  in  excellent  condition,  and  descriptive  labels  have  been 
attached  to  specimens  so  generally  that  the  Department  is  assuming 
a  finished  appearance.  In  addition  to  the  labels  on  individual 
specimens,  large  labels  have  been  provided  for  each  class.  The 
work  in  the  Department  of  Zoology,  except  Ornithology,  has  not 
been  active,  owing  to  the  absence  of  its  Curator  in  Africa,  but  gratify- 
ingheadway  has  been  made  in  cataloguing.  Alarge  number  of  descrip- 
tive framed  labels  have  been  provided  for  Halls  19  and  20  and  for 
