EXHIBITION COLLECTIONS 39 



Room 352 



The Alexander Agassiz Memorial Room 



The exhibits in this room are built about the two Curtis Models of 

 Coral Islands, which Alexander Agassiz had made for the Museum. 

 The models, made from photographic surveys, give a most beautiful 

 and vivid impression of Borabora and Funafuti in the Pacific Ocean. 

 The former is a high mountainous island with a surrounding barrier 

 reef, while the other is one of the most perfect atolls known. 



The wall cases show some of the coral reef animals — the sort of 

 creatures which a visitor collecting in, or indeed looking into, the 

 limpid waters of the lagoons would find or see. The fishes of gaudy 

 colors, the sponges, the lacy alcyonarian or horny corals are very 

 beautiful. The encrusting hydroids are especially fine. Characteris- 

 tic stony corals, molluscs, echinoderms and Crustacea of the reefs are 

 also shown. From the center of the ceiling hangs the life size model 

 of a large octopus, and among the molluscs the giant clams, each 

 valve weighing over one hundred pounds, are most impressive. The 

 room is dedicated to commemorate Alexander Agassiz's great in- 

 terest in the study of coral reefs. 



Room 354 



Synoptic Collection of Invertebrates 



This room is an abridged text book of elementary zoology. It was 

 installed in 1928 by several specialists in the Museum. It shows the 

 progressive complication of animal types from the protozoa or single 

 celled animals to the immediate forerunners of the vertebrates. 

 Many of the more delicate invertebrates, sea anemones, medusae or 

 jelly fishes, some of the worms and naked molluscs, are shown in 

 Blaschka glass models. These were made by the first member of the 

 family who made the beautiful glass flowers shown in the Botanical 

 Museum. The collection of insects is probably the most comprehen- 

 sive of any on public exhibition. Special attention is called to the 

 model of the giant squid and to the very large piece of precious coral 

 which Mr. Agassiz secured many years ago in Naples. In the central 

 cases some interesting examples of insect architecture are shown. 



