19 
economic importance. Although as much scientific material as possible 
is brought in by field parties from the museum, the staff is so small and the 
country to be covered is so vast, that many areas can not be covered 
within a reasonable time by such means, while at the same time biological 
conditions are rapidly changing, on account of the extension of agriculture, 
devastation of large areas by lumbering and forest fires, causing the 
extermination of many animal and plant species. 
Although field collectors for the National Herbarium, for example, 
might be able, if the staff were larger, to collect a fair representation of 
the Canadian flora during the summer field season, the zoological problem 
is somewhat different. Birds and mammals vary in plumage and pelage 
in summer and winter and there are various transition stages. As the 
members of our staff are not as a rule able to go into the field except 
during a few months of summer, we are restricted to the collection of 
summer specimens, and get very few winter specimens except from occa- 
sional Arctic expeditions or by infrequent donations by public-spirited 
citizens. To build up a balanced collection of both mammals and birds, 
and to have the major districts and zoogeographical zones fairly repre- 
sented has been one of our problems for several years. To accomplish 
this' object, it is in many cases desirable to purchase specimens from local 
collectors, trappers, or sportsmen. The museum is lacking in an adequate 
representation of many species and races of the important fur-bearers of 
Canada, and has been unable to purchase many specimens of these on 
account of the high prices which have prevailed for several years. Without 
men in the field in the winter it is virtually impossible to obtain such 
specimens. It is to be hoped that interested citizens will assist the museum 
whenever possible in locating and obtaining desirable specimens, emulating 
the custom which has done so much to build up the magnificent collections 
of the British Museum and the many modern museums which are springing 
up in the United States. 
During the year the Chief of the Division spent some time in the 
work of editing and correspondence in regard to the scientific reports of 
the Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18, a work which has been carried 
on for several years, and is now approaching completion. These reports 
have assembled and made accessible a large amount of miscellaneous 
information about the northern regions of Canada, basic knowledge which 
is of importance in many lines. By keeping in touch with Arctic work, 
the Museum is receiving valuable additions each year from the regular 
expeditions, as well as from individuals who have been working in the 
north. 
The Chief of the Division represented the Department of Mines on 
the Advisory Board on Wild Life Protection, the Northern Advisory 
Board, the Arctic Publications Committee, and the Committee on Oil 
Pollution of Navigable Waters. As a member of the Board of Directors 
of the American Society of Mammalogists he attended the business meetings 
and scientific sessions of the eighth annual meeting of the society held at 
the American Museum of Natural History, New York, April 27-30, 1926. 
An important part of the meeting consisted of a symposium on furs and 
fur-bearing mammals, with papers on the fur industry and its conservation, 
fur dressing and fur dyeing, and modern fur farming. Through the 
courtesy of the National Association of the Fur Industry opportunity 
