various molds of reptiles for exhibition, and is engaged on a model 

 of a king cobra. 



A habitat group to represent the familiar fresh-water fishes of 

 the Chicago region in an underwater scene will result from the 

 combined efforts of Staff Taxidermist Leon L. Pray and Messrs. 

 Rueckert, Letl, and Eigsti. Before his departure for the Navy, 

 Curator Woods laid the plans for an exhibition illustrating fish 

 coloration, to give a vivid demonstration of what is known of the 

 principles of coloration in fishes — what relations the coloration bears 

 to the environment, why fishes are colored, and how they change 

 color. The models for this exhibit have been prepared, in a great 

 variety of ingenious techniques, by Mr. Pray. 



Miss Nellie B. Starkson, Artist-Preparator, has been engaged 

 throughout the year on models for an exhibit to show the principles 

 of muscular action for the Hall of Anatomy and Osteology (Hall 

 19). Artist-Preparator Joseph Krstolich has modeled various verte- 

 brates and invertebrates for a "tree of life," to be associated with the 

 invertebrate fossils in Frederick J. V. Skiff Hall (Hall 37) of the 

 Department of Geology. Such representations of the family rela- 

 tions of animals form an urgent need in various zoological halls. 



Much of the regular work of the various divisions is not covered 

 under formal headings of the Annual Report. The staff of the 

 Department continues to function as an information bureau, answer- 

 ing questions that range in importance from those of most trivial 

 nature to important aid to fellow scientists. Questions as to the ages 

 reached by various birds, mammals, reptiles, and fishes, the period 

 of gestation of mammals and of incubation of birds' eggs, the loca- 

 tion of illustrations of animals of all kinds, and data needed by pub- 

 lishers of textbooks and encyclopedias — come by letter, telephone, 

 and personal interview, and continue to form a regular and often a 

 time-consuming part of Museum work. It may be pointed out that 

 encouragement of amateur naturalists of all ages is and should be 

 an important activity of the staff. 



The Division of Anatomy, with the two local zoos as sources of 

 material, prepares its own skeletons, and this important Museum 

 activity has fallen to Mrs. Dorothy Foss. The work of preparing a 

 single skeleton involves skinning, fleshing the bones, drying, boiling, 

 cleaning, bleaching, numbering, cataloguing, and arrangement in 

 the storage collection. The aid of dermestid beetles is invoked 

 for the cleaning of the smaller skeletons, but the beetles by no means 

 produce a finished skeleton, and skeletons in the beetle drawers 

 have to be watched daily lest the beetles eat the smaller bones as 



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