44 MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY 



Room 309 



Insular Faunae 

 Here are some characteristic mammals and birds from Australia, 

 New Zealand and the Papuasian area. The egg-laying mammals, 

 Ornithorhynchus and Echidna, are important as well as the fine 

 Emu and Cassowary. There is no part of the world where the parrots 

 and pigeons are so abundant, both in species and individuals, and no 

 part of the world where they are so beautiful in color as in Papua and 

 Australia. Many of these are shown here. There are no native land 

 mammals in New Zealand, except bats. The birds, however, are 

 noteworthy for the number of peculiar endemic genera. Some of the 

 most remarkable of these are shown, including several which are 

 rapidly approaching extinction, such as the Huia, the Kiwi and the 

 peculiar duck. 



Room 307 

 Marine Faunal Associations 

 In the case to the left of the door by which one enters from the 

 Main Hall are shown characteristic pelagic organisms such as are 

 found in the Gulf Stream. Here, again, are some fine Blaschka glass 

 models. In the alcove in front of this case (on both sides) are some 

 typical deep sea invertebrates. The giant crabs from Japan and the 

 lovely siliceous sponges are well worth careful examination. Facing 

 the center of the room are two exhibits, one of the common tidepool 

 invertebrates of our own coasts, i. e. the types referred to in the 

 American Text Books of Zoology, and those seen by students on 

 their excursions to Nahant. The gigantic lobster claws are striking. 

 Opposite are the common species similarly familiar to those going to 

 the British or French (Northern) marine laboratories. The central 

 cases contain Blaschka models of tropical invertebrates, chiefly 

 holothurians or sea cucumbers. About the outer walls of the room 

 are invertebrates of many classes from the shallow waters of tropical 

 seas, the most interesting specimens being the giant corals from the 

 Great Barrier Reef of Australia. In one corner case an exhibit has 

 been arranged to show apparatus used in deep sea exploration. 

 Many of the individual objects are of historical interest, having been 

 the first of their kind to be made or used on historic expeditions. 



