88 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Vol. XXVI, 1919 



The next day we came to a carry, where Pete informed me 

 that by taking the canoe and our baggage on our shoulders and 

 making an overland trip of a mile, we could save many miles of 

 paddling. So we proceeded through the crisp morning air and at 

 noon we stopped in a hard-wood grove to eat our lunch. The still- 

 ness in this grove was oppressive. There was not a sound, until 

 all at once from some distant thicket there came to our ears the 

 clear flute-like notes of a hermit thrush. Pete heard it and a soft 

 smile spread over his wrinkled, copper-colored face as he re- 

 marked, "Um bird, he hain't got no cold." 



What had been this man's experience that had caused the veil 

 to be lifted, even though slightly, so that this glint of light shone 

 through. It is true that he or his ancestors knew nothing of books. 

 Could it be that the art that is in nature had accomplished this ? 



Since the successful introduction of the habitat groups into 

 some of the larger museums, there has sprung up all over the 

 country, a desire to have something of the kind in the smaller 

 museums as well ; and the work has been undertaken oftentimes 

 without the slightest knowledge of how such work should be 

 done, and in violation of all the laws of art and science. The 

 result is that some of the most hideous productions have been 

 placed on exhibition. There may be some excuse for a poorly 

 mounted specimen in a serial collection, but there- is no excuse 

 for attempting to make habitat groups without some special 

 knowledge of the work. No scientist can do the work without 

 a supplementary knowledge of art ; nor can an artist do any thing 

 worth while without scientific training in the technique of such 

 work and a real knowledge of the subject to be handled. Beauti- 

 ful pictures painted from fancy have no more value in a museum 

 than have inartistic groups. Such exhibits ought not to be toler- 

 ated for many reasons. They have no educational value ; they 

 fill up space that might be used for something worth while ; they 

 often waste rare specimens which cannot be replaced, and which 

 on account of improper treatment eventually go to pieces. 



No intelligent person questions the importance of having a 

 museum on a scientific basis. The information propagated by a 

 museum should be absolutely dependable. Every setting for a 

 group should tell a true story. A museum, however, can be 

 strictly scientific, and yet fail utterly in its mission. The dreary, 

 monotonous exhibits of the old-fashioned institutions have dem- 

 onstrated this. The few people who went to the collections were 

 fatigued by their visits. It is true that a part of the weariness 



