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^[[S.31931.]]

Washington, Jan. 14, 1884.

Memorandum to Professor Baird.

I have made a careful survey of the lower part of the Smithsonian building with an eye to the selection of suitable location of an office for the Department of Birds, and find that the [[underlined]] North-west gallery [[/underlined]] will answer the purpose [[underlined]] far better [[/underlined]] than any other place.  This gallery contains a considerably larger superficial area than the two rooms now occupied in the South tower, while the space, after the cases are removed, could be utilized to far better advantage.  Not only could the necessary desks, tables, etc., be accommodated there, but there would also be ample room for all the cabinets containing the reserve and the larger part of the duplicate series;  while the necessary upright cases for books, manuscripts, etc., could be put up between the windows.  Furthermore, the small room in the tower at the West end of the gallery would make an admirable "quarantine" for specimens previous to their distribution in the collection, and for other similar purposes.  The North gallery is preferred for the reason that that on the South side is too warm in summer;  and the Western end of the hall is selected on account of being nearer the basement.  I am quite sure that I would be satisfied with this arrangement, which would at least double my capacity for work.

For the exhibition collection, I believe that the whole of the three remaining galleries will be required, besides all the cases on the floor of the hall.
 
Very respectfully,

Robert Ridgway,

Curator Department Birds.