Hank, there may still be some confusion about USNM. "Smithsonian
Institution" was both parent and big brother to the U.S. National
Museum, in a sense. For example, for years the two units issued separate
annual reports. The Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian functioned
essentially as Director of the United States National Museum. It would
have been conceivable for someone to be a biologist for either "the
Smithsonian Institution" (essentially a non-curatorial scientist) or
"the U.S. National Museum" (a curator of biology)--or both
simultaneously. The administrative history of the Smithsonian is very
confusing, made more so with each new building, each new Secretary, and
each reorganization. But I don't think it's any more complicated than
the history of many private companies, universities, etc. --David
Haberstich