104 Boston Society of Natural History 



legs, Hudsonian Curlew, and, in fact, all the common shore birds 



which visit the coast of New England in autumn. 



The study collection, carefully kept in insect-proof and dust-proof 

 cases, contains almost seven thousand skins, representing about 

 350 species, including nearly all the birds known to visit New Eng- 

 land. This collection is unique, and is particularly valuable for any 

 one engaged in the scientific study of the birds of this region. 



A collection of about 1,-150 sets of birds' eggs representing 213 

 species is maintained by the Society. It contains the eggs of practi- 

 cally all the breeding birds of New England, and, so far as possible, 

 the eggs of those birds which migrate through New England or 

 visit the region only occasionally, as accidental visitors. 



Both the egg collection and skin collection are housed in the 

 most modern and efficient of museum cases which are insect proof 

 and dust proof. Each set of eggs is kept in a separate air-tight, her- 

 metically sealed, glass-topped box. Both these collections are of 

 great scientific value, and both collections are available for study 

 to any properly introduced person. 



The synoptic collection of vertebrates contains some four hun- 

 dred species of foreign birds, illustrating the more interesting types 

 of birds and showing variation in form, plumage, and adaptations. 



A collection of several thousand mounted foreign birds, known 

 as the La Fresnaye collection, completes the list of the Society's 

 widely varied ornithological specimens. 



Mammals 



THERE are about 110 species of mammals in the collection. 

 Of these, sixty came from New England, whose species are 

 almost all represented. About twenty skeletons are on exhibit and 



