EXHIBITION COLLECTIONS 45 



Room 305 



Domesticated Animals 



The contents of this room illustrate variation under domestication 

 (notice the races of chickens and dogs), domesticated animals not 

 used in America, and such matters as hybridism, albinism, and 

 melanism. There is also an exhibit to show Mendelian inheritance. 



Room 301 



Marine Mammals 



(N.B. The Zoological Museum may also be entered through this 

 room from the Botanical Museum.) 



This room illustrates the manner in which four mammalian stocks 

 have become modified for marine life; viz. the Sirenia or manatees 

 and dugongs; the Cetacea or whales and porpoises; the Pinnepedia 

 or sea elephants, seals and sea lions, and the sea otter. The unique 

 series of sketches, mostly made from life studies or ample notes from 

 fresh material, is by Mr. J. Henry Blake. Being the work of an artist, 

 trained by Louis Agassiz, they are remarkably accurate. Mr. Blake 

 was artist during the voyage of the S.S. Hassler, and through his long 

 life has always been interested in whales and whaling, and had many 

 unusual chances to sketch from life. His father-in-law Capt. Na- 

 thaniel E. Atwood of Provincetown collected many cetacea for the 

 Museum. 



The narwhal in this room is of especial interest since it is not only 

 the first one ever to be mounted for exhibition in America, but it 

 came from Newfoundland where it is now extinct. It was not so 

 many years ago a uniform dull black, and continued to exude and 

 to drip grease even fifty or more years after it was prepared. This 

 has all finally been cleaned off and removed and the skin found to 

 be in perfect condition. It was then repainted, from notes furnished 

 by a member of the staff" who once lived in Greenland, and who was 

 perfectly familiar with the animal in life. 



