Jan., 191 7. Annual Report of the Director. 105 



bird groups was finished and installed. The group shown consists of 

 birds characteristic of the low tropics of north-central Brazil where one 

 of the Museum's expeditions worked a few years ago. The most con- 

 spicuous of these are the large tropical American storks known as the 

 Jabiru. Others included with them are ibises, sun bitterns, gallinules, 

 and boatbills. Thirty-six mounted birds from Argentine and twenty 

 from North America, including a Passenger Pigeon, were added to the 

 serial exhibition collection. 



The N. W. Harris Public School Extension of field Museum of Natural History. 

 — At the close of the year 476 cases were available for circulation 

 among the public schools, 86 cases having been installed during 

 the year. Six cases were permanently withdrawn from the supply 

 and sent to the Museum of History, Art and Science of Los 

 Angeles. There are also many cases on hand in various stages of prep- 

 aration and installation. Not only do the members of the staff of this 

 Department install all of the specimens of birds, mammals, fishes, 

 reptiles, and insects, but they collect and prepare them for installation 

 as well. Nearly all of the butterflies and birds found in and around 

 Chicago are represented either by specimens installed or by specimens 

 that have been partially prepared for installation. In many of the 

 cases in which birds, mammals and reptiles are shown, enlarged colored 

 photographs of the habitat or of characteristic environments of the 

 specimens, form backgrounds. These backgrounds add greatfy to the 

 naturalness of the taxidermy and to the realism of the accessories 

 employed, and reduce the use and need of much of the latter. 



Sufficient time has elapsed since the inauguration of this work to 

 permit competent judgment being passed upon the physical merits of 

 the exhibition cases. It is gratifying to report that the type of case 

 used has met all requirements demanded of it. The claim for the 

 secureness of the installation of all specimens is well supported by 

 the fact that thirty-four installed cases were transported by freight 

 to San Francisco and returned, and not in a single instance was it 

 necessary to repair any damage and in but one instance was it neces- 

 sary to reinstall a specimen — that one being of a friable nature. 

 The number now on hand of empty cases of the four and ten inch types 

 is so small that a requisition for additional new cases will be made 

 within a short time. It is more than likely, owing to space limita- 

 tions, that with additional new cases some method, other than that 

 now in use, for caring for empty and installed cases will have to be 

 adopted. Representatives of the principals of the Chicago public 

 schools expressed a desire to have types of the extension cases placed on 

 permanent exhibition in one of the rooms of the Board of Education. 



