GENERAL ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CANADA 
By W. H . Collins, Acting Director 
The work of the National Museum is very much restricted by lack 
of sufficient space for exhibition halls and storage facilities. The staff is 
also much too small to carry on the work expected of an institution that 
is national in its scope. Notwithstanding these handicaps the museum 
organization is highly gratified by the substantial interest being manifested 
towards it by the public both in Canada and other countries. For many 
years individuals and industrial corporations, such as the Imperial Oil 
Company, the International Nickel Company of Canada, and the American 
Chemical Company, have responded generously to suggestions for the dona- 
tion of exhibition materials. This year a munificent gift was received from 
Mr. Harry Snyder, of Chicago and Montreal, in the form of a group of 
wood bison and northern timber wolves that were collected by himself 
and prepared for exhibition at his expense by the James L. Clark Studios, 
of New York city, one of the most highly qualified organizations in the 
wmrld for work of this kind. The donation as received by the National 
Museum represents an outlay by Mr. Snyder of many thousands of dollars. 
The group of animals, arranged in a most natural looking setting with 
painted landscape background (Plate I), is now safely installed in the 
Museum. 
Another practical example of the interest of the public was a gift 
by the International Nickel Company of Canada of a copy of its moving 
picture film “ Heritage,” which illustrates admirably the processes whereby 
nickel, copper, and other metals are recovered from the great ore deposits 
at Sudbury. An exceptionally fine specimen of silver fox was donated by 
Mr. F. D. Burkholder, furrier, of Ottawa. 
Grateful acknowledgment is also made to all those who contributed 
to the annual lecture series, a full account of which follows. 
EDUCATIONAL WORK 
This is one of the most valuable services that can be rendered by 
museums and one that reaches persons at a distance from the museum 
almost as readily as those living in its immediate vicinity. 
MOVING PICTURE FILMS 
Some additions were made to the steadily growing collection of moving 
pictures. These were obtained by presentation or purchase, or were taken 
by members of the staff. The film, “ Heritage,” presented to the Museum 
by the International Nickel Company of Canada, Limited, pictures the 
production and uses of the important industrial metal, nickel. “ Cheenama, 
the Trail-Maker,” by Harlan I. Smith and Diamond Jenness, and “ Handi- 
crafts of French Canada,” by C. Marius Barbeau, are excellent additions 
to the Museum film library. These films, besides being used in lectures 
and other activities of the Museum, are lent to schools, scientific societies, 
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