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^[[6]]

mortifying.

While bowing with submission to the order which closed up the active work of the Department of Reptiles on Dec.1st.1884, an order necessitated by want of funds, the Curator feels it his duty to respectfully and earnestly urge that it be revoked at the earliest possible moment, and suggests the re-employment of his assistants.  These young men have been passing through a period of probationary education to fit them for their duties, and now at the time when their services are most valuable to the Museum, and to the Curator, they are furloughed without any immediate prospect of their place being filled by others.  This simply means that even the routine work must stop, or that the Curator must depend upon voluntary aid to enable him to attend to imperative necessities.  Owing to other and important official duties, it is impossible for him to give his entire time to reptilian work and without assistance the Department will gradually merge into the condition it was when he first took charge of it.  With becoming deference he thinks this should not be permitted, an enormous amount of work has been expended in the Department, and with pardonable pride, he thinks that under the circumstances it compares most favorably with any of the other Departments in the National Museum.

It must be conceded by all who have looked into this subject that the Reptile Department is of a quite as much importance to the Museum and to the scientific public, as any of the other Departments, and for this reason the Curator again respectfully calls the attention of the Director to his recommendation of last year, that the person in charge should be a salaried officer, and be required to give his entire time to the duties of his office.  This the present Curator can-not do, so it will be understood that no motive of self interest prompts him in this suggestion.