REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. lb"7 



other animals which have been eagerly sought by the hide-hunter, and 

 an exhibit of the different weapons used in the destruction of the va- 

 rious species. 



SECTION OF niHPS. 



An instinctive exhibit of birds was prepared by the Curator of Birds, 

 Mr. Robert Ridgway. It consisted of an extensive collection of finely 

 mounted and carefully labeled specimens of the birds of North America, 

 and of smaller series of the principal birds of foreign countries. 



The collection of North American birds was very complete, including 

 examples of every known genus excepting onlya fewof the larger water 

 birds and birds of prey, which were omitted for lack of space. They 

 were arranged in proper sequence, thus affording an excellent oppor- 

 tunity for the study of the latest scientific classification. In a few in- 

 stances, where the birds were too rare and valuable to warrant the send- 

 ing of specimens, they were represented by means of original water-color 

 paintings by the curator. The collection of foreign birds, though much 

 smaller, consisted of the characteristic types of various countries selected 

 for the purpose of showing something of the bird fauna of the principal 

 zoo-geographical regions of the earth. Among those represented were 

 the Australian, Indo-Malayan, and Ethiopian regions, and the principal 

 birds of Europe. Another series which attracted much attention from 

 the exposition visitors was a collection of the principal birds of litera- 

 ture, with the names by which they are known in poetry and appropriate 

 quotations from the leading authors regarding them. A collection of 

 birds' eggs and casts of same to represent the, various sizes, from the 

 egg of the extinct epyorius or giant ostrich of Madagascar, with a ca- 

 pacity of two gallons, to that of the humming-bird, and a set of fac- 

 simile reproductions of the plates of Audubon's books on the birds of 

 North America were also exhibited. 



SECTION OP INSECTS. 



This exhibit was prepared by Dr. 0. V. Riley and Mr. John B. Smith, 

 it consisted of a systematic collection illustrating the various families 

 of insects, and economic series showing separately the species injurious 

 t<> agriculture and to forests. The systematic series represented, either 

 by specimens or detailed drawings, all of the families of American in- 

 sects. Where practicable, care was taken to select large and showy 

 specimens to represent the different families, thus attracting the atten- 

 tion of the public as well as that of the specialist to the exhibit. This 

 was notably true in the case of the Ooleoptera and Lepidoptera, which 

 contained many attractive forms. Each family was accompanied by a 

 descriptive label calling attention to its peculiar characters, and in 

 many instances was illustrated by several species. This series con- 

 tained several thousand specimens, and was much admired both by the 



