Oct.  1896.  Annual  Report  of  the  Director.  103 
dition  that  will  be  illustrated  from  photographs  taken  on  the  trip.  In 
the  past  winter,  G.  K.  Cherrie,  Assistant  Curator  of  Ornithology, 
spent  three  months  collecting  bird  skins  along  the  Gulf  Coast  between 
New  Orleans  and  Corpus  Christi,  Texas.  Nearly  one  thousand  skins 
were  added  to  the  North  American  division  of  this  Department.  Mr. 
Cherrie  has  also  made  a  number  of  excursions  in  the  vicinity  of 
Chicago  collecting  local  material.  Miner  W.  Bruce  arrived  May 
7th  from  Alaska  after  nearly  two  years  absence,  with  a  collec- 
tion of  1,200  or  more  specimens  illustrating  the  arts  and  industries  of 
the  Eskimo  of  Alaska.  He  has  returned  again  to  the  North  with  a 
commission  to  add  further  material  and  to  extend  his  work  into 
Siberia.  During  the  past  year,  E.  H.  Thompson  became  asso- 
ciated with  the  Department  of  Anthropology  and  was  assigned  to 
work  in  Mexico.  He  has  made  a  report  on  the  recently  examined 
ruins  of  Xkichmook,  accompanied  by  specimens  and  photographs. 
He  is  now  studying  and  mapping  the  ruins  of  Chichen-Itza,  conclud- 
ing which  he  will  make  investigations  among  the  Mayas.  President 
Ayer  passed  the  winter  in  Egypt  adding  much  valuable  material 
to  the  archeologic  collections  from  that  country.  He  also  secured 
numerous  articles  in  bronze  and  glass  from  Italy,  representing  the 
culture  of  the  ancient  Romans.  Vice-President  Ryerson  and  Mr.  C. 
L.  Hutchinson,  on  their  trip  around  the  world,  procured  and  pre- 
sented to  the  Museum  a  large  and  unique  amount  of  material, 
including  Etruscan  and  Stone  Age  remains  from  Italy,  Roman  terra 
cottas,  metal  and  stone  work  from  the  Indies,  and  butterflies  from 
the  Himalayas.  Mr.  Owen  F.  Aldis  invited  O.  P.  Hay,  Assistant 
Curator  of  Ichthyology  to  accompany  him  on  an  excursion  to  the 
waters  of  Southern  Florida.  Nearly  one  hundred  fine  specimens 
were  obtained,  several  of  which,  including  a  splendid  tarpon,  have 
been  mounted.  This  contribution  to  the  material  of  this  division  of 
Zoology  has  added  much  to  the  appearance  of  Hall  22. 
Installation,  Re-Arrangement  and  Permanent  Improvements. — 
Estimated  by  its  cost,  the  largest  amount  of  material  improvement 
has  been  made  on  the  Building  itself.  By  order  of  the  Executive 
Committee,  experts  were  secured  to  make  recommendations  that  as 
far  as  possible  would  insure  the  safety  and  stability  of  the  Building 
for  at  least  five  years.  Acting  upon  these  reports,  the  Executive 
Committee  appointed  a  sub-committee,  consisting  of  Mr.  Owen  F. 
Aldis  and  the  Director  to  execute  the  recommendations  of  these 
experts,  modified  in  such  directions  as  the  judgment  of  this  sub-com- 
mittee might  dictate.  The  repairs  to  the  Building  consisted  in  tin- 
ning and  painting  the  roof,  strengthening  the  main  floor,  putting  in 
