annual report

Resolved by the Senate (House of Representatives concurring), being printed of the reports of the Smithsonian Institution and of the National Museum for the year ending June 30, 1892, two octavo volumes, 10,000 additional copies; of which 1,000 copies shall be for the use of the Senate, 2,000 copies for the use of the House of Representatives, ">.000 copies for the use of the Smithsonian Institution, and 2,000 copies for the use of the National Museum. Report of the Assistant Secretary Smithsonian Institution, in charge of the National Museum, on the condition and progress of the Museum.

CONTENTS. XI

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

BROWN GOODE,

REPORT

A.— GENERAL ( OXSIDERATIONS

4 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF THE COLLECTIONS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

Hello) Collections received as gifts, deposits or in exchange from individuals, typically in numbers from 1,000 to 1,500 per year.

B.— SPECIAL TOPICS OF THE YEAR

INCREASE IN THE MUSEUM LIBRARY

DECREASED EDITION OF THE REPORTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTI-

TUTION AND NATIONAL MUSEUM

MUSEUM APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1892-93

PROPOSED ADDITIONAL MUSEUM RUILDING

REPRESENTATION OF THE UNITED STATES AT THE MADRID EXPOSI- TION

REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

0.— THE CONDITION OF THE COLLECTIONS

CATALOGUE ENTRIES

DEVELOPMENT AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE EXHIBITION SERIES

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Navy, who has since been Honorary Curator of the Department of Material Medicine for most of that time. Currently, the museum has thirty-two organized departments and departments under the care of curators, including honorary and acting curators and assistant curators.

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THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

E.—REY1IAY OF WORK IN THE SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENTS

DIVISION OF ANTHROPOLOGY

REPORT OF

The value of the collection of telegraphic apparatus has been greatly enhanced through the co-operation of Mr. Navy, who took charge of this section in October, 1891, as Honorary Curator, states that the labeling of the collection has been completed.

DIVISION OF ZOOLOGY

A wrong study of the subject strengthened him in his conviction of the feasibility of developing the collection in the National Museum in such a way that it would <>!'

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Survey, was received at the National Museum in July, 1891, and was

The report on "The LaterTertiaryof the United States*," though in type, will be issued some days too late to appear in the bibliography for this year. Considerable work has been rendered on the continuation of the report on "Florida TertiaryMoUusks," for the Wagner Institute of Philadelphia.

OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 21

DIVISION OF BOTANY

Among the principal additions were twenty-five boxes of minerals, presented by Mr. Joseph Willcox, of Philadelphia; various speci-. During the summer and autumn several expeditions were made to collect specimens by the curator, and by the gentleman. Work began on preparing an exhibition for the World's Columbian Exposition, and the curator visited Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana. and Missouri, where a large amount of volcanic and cave material was collected.

F.— EEVIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK

REGISTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION

REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 25

EUROPE

SPECIMENS SENT TO THE MUSEUM FOR EXAMINATION AND REPORT

OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 39

46 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

47E. Beauregard), have received mammal skins, skeletons of birds, E. Beauregard), have received mammal skins, skeletons of birds. From the Museum of Natural History, Paris, France (through Dr. E. Beauregard), bird skins have been received from Madagascar, the Philippines and adjacent islands, in continuation of an exchange. Bird skins have been received from the Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales (via Dr. Edward P. Ramsay, curator), in continuation of the exchanges.

William Eichhoff, Strasbnrg, Germany, have been received typical specimens representing species of North American exotics.

48 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

Botanical specimens were received from the Auckland Museum, Auckland, New Zealand (through the Director, Prof. T. F. Cheeseman), for which an equivalent lias been cut. The entire distribution of these publications is now in the hands of the Museum, and with a circulation of only 3,000 copies of the Proceedings and Bulletins, it is obvious that a large number of deserving libraries must be excluded from the mailing list, as well as many students for whom these volumes are intended. would be of great help,.

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Descriptions of thirty-four new species of fishes selected in the years 1888 and 1889, chiefly among the Santa Barbara Islands and in the Gulf of California.

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During the past year, as heretofore, the National Museum has continued to assist students and others engaged in scientific work by lending them material to use in connection with their research. Packard availed himself of the opportunities afforded for study in the department of geology during part of the year, and rendered valuable service in determinative and analytical work. Provisions, furniture, fixtures and fittings required for the exhibition and safe custody of the collection of the ^National Museum, in- .

At the time this office filed the report for 1891, the unexpended balance of appropriations for the preservation of the collections held to meet the obligations incurred during the close of the fiscal year.

58 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

From the appropriation of $5,000 for removing the decayed wooden floors in the Museum building and replacing them with artificial stone pavement, and for the purchase of slates for covering the trenches containing the heating and electrical apparatus, the expenses for materials and. From the appropriation of $3,000 for the removal of the old boilers under the Museum hall in the Smithsonian Building and their replacement. Navy, Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering, Navy Department, who, in July 1801, at the request of the acting Secretary, appointed a board of engineer officers to prepare specifications and examine bids thereon.

The practical operation of the steam heating apparatus has since shown the wisdom of the board in the preparation of the test questions and specifications submitted to the tenderers, and of.

JO REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

It should also be mentioned that various scientific and educational societies are more and more frequently availing themselves of the privilege of using the oxyhydrogeo-lantern belonging to the Museum, for the purpose of illustrating their lectures, winch, if not in the lecture hall not given. The lanternist is always used under the direction of a competent operator attached to the museum, and, except on occasions for which the use of the lecture room has been granted by the agents of the loop for the Washington meetings of national scientific and educational societies, are the expenses incurred for gas, etc. paid by the association under whose direction the lecture is given. In accordance with the request of the Department of State, and in accordance with the act of Congress making an appropriation for the purpose, preparations were begun in June, 1802, for an exhibition by the National Museum at the Columbian Historical Exposition, which would be held.

As the Congressional appropriation for this exhibit provides no clerical service, the work of this nature required for the exhibit has been done by the Museum Force, often, of course, at the expense of service beyond regular department hours.

CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS

63 PREPARATION OF LABELS

BUILDINGS AND LABOR — POLICE AND PUBLIC COMFORT

THE WORK OF THE MUSEUM PREPARATORS

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ACCESSIONS

GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE MOKE IMPORTANT ACCESSIONS

AFRICA

NORTH AMERICA

H REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

Riley, was received in exchange for specimens of North American aculeate hymenoptera, most of which are new to the collection. Costa Rica.- From the National Museum, San dosis, bird skins were received, and through Mr. Chase Littlejohn, Redwood City, Cal., presented eggs of the rare Stellerand (Eniconetta stelleri) from the mouth of the Yukon.

Indian Agent, Colorado River Agency, Parker, received specimens of Pepsis formosa Say and Sphaerophthalma cveusa Cress; skins of two rare bats, Macrotuscali/ornicus and Molossusealifornicus Merriam.

70 REPORT OF NATIONAL .MUSEUM, 1892

Charlton, Denver, w.eie received three teeth of extinct llama (Auchenia hesternd), .. Jackson, WestChester, Pa., was obtained, by purchase, a set of eggs of the witril ptarmigan [Lagopus ten- dinis). Powell, director of the U.S. Geological Survey, collected minerals and rock exhibiting "slickensides" by Geological Survey, transferred to the Museum, presented a specimen of angiite rock from East Bock and sent in return two slabs of shale with rain impressions from Durham.

Geological Survey, transferred to the Museum, is a specimen of Petalodmdestructor, a Carboniferous selachian, collected by Mr.

74 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

Thompson, Thompsontown, received 408 archaeological objects found along the Juniata River between Thompsontown and PortRoyal. From Mr.J.H.Caton, Rosebud Agency, was received a fossil tortoise, Stylemysnebraseensis, from Bad Lands, and impure opal from the same. From the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass., two lizards, collected by Prof.

Attwater, Rockport, received a set of eggs of Otocoris alpestris giraudi (new to the collection) and eggs of Gardinali8cardinalis and MimuspolyglotUis selected to show extremes.

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SOUTH AMERICA,

KXJ ROPE,

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OCEANICA

AUSTRALASIA

H.— COOPERATION OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND BUREAUS OF THE .GOVERNMENT DUPING THE YEAR ENDING

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OF SECRETARY. 83

TREASURV DEPARTMENT

84 RETORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

WAR DEPARTMENT AND THE ARMY

Lani, transmitted nests and eggs of same-skinned Troehilusalexandri, clusters of eggs of Buteo swainsoni and Accipiter cooperi from the farm St. Louis, San .Joa-.. Quin Valley, California and Santa Lucia Valley. From Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, Fort Snelling, Minn., the birds were obtained. eggs and skins, the skins of mammals, turtles, and forty-eight kinds of shells.

NAVY DEPARTMENT AND THE NAVY

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

87wooden spoon obtained from an Indian of the Piegan tribe, Montana; wooden spoon obtained from an Indian of the Piegan tribe, Montana;. archaeological objects, chalcedonic concretions and samples of water-borne chalcedony; pipe made by "Fear-of-nothing," a Sioux Indian,. and pipe-bag made by an Indian of the same tribe: specimenof. Pension Office.— From mr. W. W. Cheshire received a photograph of the sternum of a wild goose, perforated by an Eskimo arrow. Powell, director, was given a collection of vertebrate fossils obtained from the estate of the late Dr. Joseph Leidy sample of pyrolusite from 1 mile west of Walnut Grove, in Murphrees Valley, Etowah County, Ala.; 2 specimens of bornite from Gillis Company's mine, Guilford Comity, X. G; a large collection of Cretaceous invertebrate fossils, collected in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Oregon, Washington, California, Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana; chalcedony from Frankfort, Ky.; specimens of minerals from various localities, consisting of agate, selenite, satin spar, calcite, fluorite, quartz, phlogopite, chalcedony, massive apatite, stalactite, dolomite and calcite, and kaolin in quartz geodes; 2 samples of sphalerite, 11 samples of calamine, a sample of galena, and 4 samples of calcite from Aurora, Mo.; minerals, consisting of pink grossularite, tridymite, orthoclase, sylvanite, emplectite, fluorite, mimetite, damesonite, adularia, smoky quartz, tourmaline, wernerite and . strontianite; 40 samples of galena and 15 of sphalerite from Joplin, Mo.; collection of fossil insects, which make up the group mentioned, described and illustrated by prof. S. H. Scudder, of the Geological Survey, Vol.xiii, Hayden Reports; specimen of wavellite from Steamboat Springs, Chester County, I'a.

Collect door mr. David A. llarrah, Burehard,Nebr., tooth of Vita Indus destructor, 'a carbonaceous selachian.. fcalciteongalena of Joplin.Mo.; 1!) samples of piriet.

88 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

Steams received 1 specimen of shrimp from the west coast of North America and a garter snake from Berkeley, Cal. Vt.j 5 echinoids, 5 specimens of quartz and shark teeth from the Cretaceous of Croydon, England, and 4 specimens.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

From Mr. FrankH. Hitchcock received 3 meadow larks, 3 sparrow hawks, a blue jay, a red-tailed hawk from Maryland, and a turtle captured by Mr. E. A. Preble was collected from the Potomac Flats. From Mr. S.B.Johnson, by mr. F.W. Malley, assistant entomologist, received the maxilla of an oarfish {Polyodon folium) from a layer of rock at RockyPoint. Richmond received 3,000 specimens of birds*skins from the District of Columbia; 152 specimens of reptiles and batraehians from different places; 12 birds (chiefly owls), representing species, from SandySpring, Md., red-tailed hawk, sparrow hawk, broad-winged hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's Hawk, long-eared owl, from Marylan

George Vasey, honorary curator of the department of botany, have continued and are recognized here.

UNITED STATES 1TSI1 COMMISSION

02 KEPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY

Henshaw received a valuable array of mounted herbarium plants, representing the Quercus, Aster, and Solidago faunas of the District of Columbia, and a collection of fish, reptiles, and batrachians from Virginia and the District of Columbia. Stevenson presented U fetiches (bear) from New Mexico, and deposited I plumes of feathers and a stone object obtained from the Zuni Indians. The Museum has also received terrestrial and freshwater shells from the same locality, obtained during the same expedition.

Benedict, of the National Museum, was on a scouting trip in the vicinity of Point Lookout with the aim of obtaining marine invertebrates for the Museum.

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Merrill, of the National Museum, engaged in exploring the expedition through Arizona and New Mexico and secured to Richmond, Department of Agriculture, in a recent trip through Guatemala and Nicaragua, by arrangement with the National Museum, secured several large collections of natural history specimens. Thomas Wilson, Curator of Prehistoric Anthropology in the National Museum, was present at the opening of the Hopewell Mine in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Yeates, assistant curator of minerals at the National Museum, collected specimens in North Carolina and provided some very acceptable minerals and miocenefossils.

COLLECTORS' OUTFITS

Geological Survey, in connection with his explorations in Alaska, he has generously contributed a number of beroethnological objects, consisting of Eskimo ivory carvings, dishes, spoons, pipes, daggers, dolls, trinkets, etc., from the Upper Yukon. Other collections received from him will be referred to in the accession list to the Museum Report for 1893. Copper tanks, tank boxes, spirits, etc., to be used for the collection and preservation of natural history specimens for the museum.