166 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The chief purpose of the eoUection was to show, as far as pos- 

 sible, Avithiu our limits of time and moderate expenses, the economic 

 features of the more common native animals of Pennsylvania. It 

 was not our purpose to represent the complete fauna of the State, 

 nor to show the rare animals, but rather to exhibit the reptiles, 

 birds and mammals in their relation to agriculture. We should 

 have been glad to have added the insects to thi« collection had 

 it not been that the time was so short and the collection was made 

 at such time of year as to prohibit the gathering and preparation 

 of the invertebrates. 



This collection is prepared and exhibited in thirty-six cases, each 

 eighteen inches in depth, four feet long and three feet high. The 

 animals are mounted in natural attitudes as far as is possible, and 

 the chief element of the food of each, and other important habits, 

 enemies, etc., are shown, as completely as was found practicable. 

 Among the important birds are the fish-eating birds, the ducks, 

 hawks, owls, crows, quail, shore birds, the Order of the cuckoos 

 and kingfishers, the Order of the nighthawks, swifts and humming- 

 birds, and the families of the great order of Tasseres, or perching 

 birds, among which are the flycatchers, crows, blackbirds, meadow- 

 lark, orioles, sparrows, warblers, thrashers, nuthatches, chicka- 

 dees and thrushes — the last-named group including the robin and 

 bluebird. 



Among the chief kinds of mammals shown are the following: 

 The Didelphida3 or opossums, Leporidte or rabbits, Muridie or rats 

 and mice, Sciuridiie or squirrels, Hystricidae or porcupines, Soricidae 

 or shrews, Talpidse or moles, Urisdie or bears, ProcyonidiB or rac- 

 coon, Mustelidae or weasels, minks and skunks, CanidiE, represented 

 by the foxes, and Felidie or cats, represented by the wild cat, etc. 



This will undoubtedly be one of the most attractive and interest- 

 ing exhibits at St. Louis, and it is our desire to see it retiu'ned to 

 Harrisburg and become the nucleus of a State collection, showing 

 our complete natural resources and possessions. It will be a great 

 credit to our State, and I wish to express my very high appreciation 

 of the fact that it was made possible only through the intelligent 

 directions and assistance of yourself and our good Governor. Our 

 thanks are also due to Mr. D. K. McMillan, who, from the start, 

 took great interest in the work, and spared neither time nor effort 

 to make the undertaking a success. Mention should also be made 

 of the w^ork of ^Ir. Boyd P. Kothrock, expert taxidermist, of Wil- 

 liamsport, I*a., who mounted many specimens and later came to oui' 

 office and spent six weeks in finishing this collection, and putting 

 it into the best shape for shipment and exhibition. His experience 

 as an expert taxidermist, and his great interest in seeing the col- 

 lection properly prepared to express our ideas of the economic 



