336 



THE MUSEUM. 



Fossil Teeth and Baculite from South Dakota. 



perior to the raccoon and opossum, 

 and equal to roast pig. 



There is nothing in Nature that is 

 wholly evil, and even the peculiar of- 

 fensive liquor contained in the sacs 

 of the skunk has been proved to be 

 possessed of medicinal virtues, being 

 sometimes used for the purpose of giv- 

 ing relief to asthmatic patients. Au- 

 dubon tells the story of a clergyman 

 who had been accustomed to use the 

 scent glands of a skunk for this pur- 

 pose, and to keep them in a closely 

 stoppered bottle. It happened one 

 Sunday that having been attacked by 

 a fit of asthma, he took his bottle into 

 the pulpit, and when his breathing be- 

 came difficult he opened his bottle 

 and applied it to his nostrils. "Wheth- 

 er he obtained the desired relief is not 

 stated, but he was spared the trouble 

 of continuing his sermon, as the con- 

 gregation beat a hasty retreat, and left 

 him nearly alone in the church. — Pop- 

 ular Science. 



A Bird Hospital. 



Among its many admirable -institu- 



tions for the care of the sick and dis- 

 abled, says the Times- Her aid, QMxQ.'a.^Q 

 enjoys the distinction of possessing a 

 bird hospital, the only one of its kind, 

 it is claimed, in the United States. 

 This unique establishment has never 

 been beneficiary of an endowment 

 either by the State or at the hands of 

 individuals, yet its manager, C. A. 

 Cross, seems to be able to make the 

 financial ends of the institution at least 

 meet, if they do not overlap to any- 

 great extent. 



It is only necessary to watch MV. 

 Cross for a few moments moving about 

 among his feathered friends to realize 

 that his heart is in his business. While 

 his work brings a living to himself and 

 wife, it also brings restored health to 

 many a little winged sufferer, and this 

 phase of his life wojk apparently af- 

 fords the bird doctor quiteras much 

 satisfaction as the other. His wife, 

 however, seems equally interested and 

 absorbed in the novel business, and he 

 modestly attributes much of the suc- 

 cess of the ''institution" to her delicate 

 care of the indisposed inmates. The 



