Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 375 



few small groups for exhibition. The storage-cases are air- 

 tight zinc-lined cabinets of sliding trays in which dry 

 specimens can be kept safe from moisture and from insect 

 pests, and can be fumigated when necessary. These rows of 

 cases, known as " zincs," are a characteristic feature of the 

 new museum's equipment, there being already thirty-seven 

 of them in use. 



The research-room faces the north and east. Wide tables 

 are built along the north end of the room under the windows, 

 to hold trays taken from the storage-cases for purposes of 

 study. On the other side of the building, facing north and 

 west, is the library and study, which is also the office of the 

 Director and of the Curators. The book-shelves in this room 

 contain a number of necessary reference books and the 

 bound files of collectors' field-notes. There is also a map- 

 rack for records of research in distribution of species and its 

 causes. 



The collections in the museum contain notably a large 

 series of bears, including skins, skulls, and complete skeletons, 

 chiefly from Alaska, gathered from various sources by 

 Miss Alexander and donated to the museum. There is also 

 a complete representation of the two Californian species of 

 sea-lions, about twelve specimens of each, and an example of 

 the Alaskan moose, which, as regards size, is among the 

 record specimens of a species normally much larger than that 

 found in Maine and the British provinces. 



Of birds over twelve thousand specimens belonging to the 

 museum have already been catalogued. Of small mammals 

 over nine thousand have been catalogued. There are about 

 two thousand reptiles and batrachians catalogued. In 

 addition to the specimens which are the property of the 

 museum, there are several private collections on deposit, 

 notably the Grinnell collection of eight thousand birds, and 

 the Swarth and Morcom bird-collections, of about four 

 thousand specimens each. The University's collections are 

 chiefly the result of Miss Alexander's expeditions; only 

 about 1300 specimens belonged to the University previously. 



