KKl'OKT OF THK SECTKTARY. 105 



the botanical division of the departnient consists at present practically only of 

 an herbiiriuni, the ((iliections of which it was thoneht could not be made iiiter- 

 estinir to the j,'en*n'al public. 



The most striking; feature of the exhibit at St. Louis was the cast of ;i sul)»hnr- 

 bottom whale, the largest known animal. This large piece was suspended over 

 the central aisle of the Museum space. Placed on the floor near it, was a 

 skeleton of the same sjjecies. The cast was obtained through the courtesy of 

 the Cabot Steam Whaling Company, and the skeleton by gift from the Colonial 

 Manufacturing Company, at Balena, Hermitage Bay, Newfoundland, by Messrs. 

 F. A. Lucas. William Palmei', and J. W. Scolllck, who made a special expedition 

 to Newfoundland in the spring of 11)04 to secure the material. 



Another prominent feature of the exhibit of this department com])rised a 

 group of 20 game mannnals from all parts of the world, namely : From North 

 America, a black bear, a polar bear, an Alaska moose, a Mexican sheep, a (Green- 

 land nuisk-ox, a specimen of Osborn's caril»on, and an Olympic elk; from Africa, 

 a giraffe, a zebra, a two-horned rhinoceros, a white-tailed gnu, a hii)poi)otanius, 

 and a lion; from Asia, a tiger, a sambar stag, a specimen of Marco Polo's 

 sheep, an axis deer ; from Europe, a chamois, a moufflon or wild sb^ep, and a 

 Norway elk. Each was i)laced on a separate pedestal and the whole group 

 inclosed by brass railing. 



A small but very popular part of the exhibit of the department was a select 

 collection of birds' eggs, installed in two special table-cases. In one was a 

 series showing variations in size, form, color, and texture, and in the number 

 laid at one time. Among these eggs was one of Epyoiitis maxim its, an extinct 

 bird of Madagascar, whose eggs are the largest known. By a fortunate coin- 

 cidence, an opportunity occurred to purchase a remarkably fine example for 

 addition to this series. Other interesting eggs in this case were those of the 

 apteryx. the great auk, three species of ostrich, several species of tinamou, and 

 the ruby-throated hummingbird. In the second case was placed a very complete 

 collection of the eggs of North American birds of prey. 



The main exhibit of birds was installed in four 80-inch screen-cases, and con- 

 sisted of a series of pheasants especially noteworthy for the brilliancy of their 

 plumage, such as Lady .Vmherst's pheasant, fire-back pheasants, tragopans, etc. 

 Three species of peafowl were inchided in this series, each represented by a male 

 and a female. Among the other birds exhibited was a pair of the rare and 

 curious Harris's cormorant, from the Galapagos Islands, a species incapable of 

 flight owing to its dwarfed wings and to the soft, flexible nature of the ])rimary 

 feathers. Installed in a special floor case was ;i group of hoaczins. Oiti.stho- 

 comuH hoaczin, showing the life-history of the species. This material of group 

 consisted of 4 adults, 3 nestlings. 2 h.-ilf-grown young, 2 nests, 2 eggs, together 

 with bushes and other accessories, ;iiid was specially collected for exhibition at 

 St. Louis. The young of this singular bird possess well-developed claws on the 

 first and second digits of the wing, by means of which they climb from branch 

 to branch with comparative ease. 



Reptiles were represented by mounted specimens of the American crocodile 

 and alligator, which were placed near one another, so that the differences 

 between these two largest of American leptiles could be readily seen. In addi- 

 tion, two si)ecial cases of snakes were exhibited ; one contained a reticulated 

 python, probably the largest species of snake in existence, and the other a small 

 series of especially noteworthy poisonous and harndess snakes, such as the 

 cobra, the rattlesnake, the harlequin snake, and the king snake. 



A unique exhibit of unusual significance and interest consisted of a series of 

 'models of deep-sea fishes, installed in two short sections of the wall-case. 



