50 REPORT OF NATIONAL MTSEUM, 1893. 



acquired only after loug- and continued effort it jseenis but proper tluit 

 its trutli to uature, as now mounted, should be vindicated. 



The skin in question was mounted b}^ a most skillful and conscien- 

 tious member of the staff, the chief taxidermist, Mr. William Palmer, 

 who spent some months on the Pribilof Islands making preliminary 

 studies in order to fit himself for this particular undertaking. 



Capt. E. r. Herendeen, formerly of the U. S. Coast Survey, who was 

 familiar with the Arctic Ocean for fifteen years, and who has seen tens 

 of thousands of walruses in the times when they were abundant, in 

 1854 and in subsequent years, and who has seen thousands of them 

 at one time upon the shore at Sandy Point, says of the specimen in the 

 Museum: 



I am satistieil that the mounted walrus is true to uatuie ami in eveiy resi)ect au 

 admirable pi'ece of work. The only criticism which I would make upon it is that 

 an animal in the attitude of extreme attention and activity in which this is repre- 

 eeuted would be slightly smaller about the neck. The arrangement of the wrinkles 

 in the skin and the tuberculated api)earau(e of its surface are perfect, and the attitude 

 of the limbs can not be criticised. 



The following statement of the material upon which the treatment of 

 the skin was founded is supplied by Mr. Palmer : 



{!) Personal observations. — On August 7 we landed from the U. S. revenue-cutter 

 Bush on Walrus Island, having previously seeu the remnant of a walrus herd, con- 

 Bisting of eight individuals, on tiie island. We landed on the southern end of the 

 island and made our way over the rocky interior toward the walrus, but unfor- 

 tnuately the vessel remained within sight of the animals, and the sailors from the 

 boat in which we had landed instead of keeping ou the other side of the island 

 persisted in getting into view of the walrus, witii the result that before we got 

 within shooting distance they made preparations to leave the rocks. Before us was 

 a wide crevice in the rocks full of water, so that it was impossible to get over it, 

 and there not being time to get around the head of it before the walrus took to the 

 water, I sat down on the rocks at the edge of the crevice and examined the animals 

 at leisure. Before they had reached the water I had succeeded in fixing in my mind 

 the most important features of their physiognomy. The walrus nearest to me was 

 the one that I examined most thoroughly, and I convinced myself of the fact that 

 the general positions of the walrus, as delineated in Mr. Elliott's picures, was true, 

 and in mounting this specimen I followed as closely as possible the picture which 

 remained in my mind of this particular walrus. I had a tine view of the animal, 

 which was distant not more than 20 rods and within easy gunshot. No attempt 

 was made to kill the animal, however, since it was so near the water that if it had 

 been struck it would have fallen and been lost. Then, too, I hoped that there 

 might be another opportunity of capturing a specimen. 



(2) Measurement from the fresh specimen. — The skin which was mounted was 

 obtained by the Bush ten days afterwards. This was after I left the island, how- 

 ever, and I was unable to study the animal in the flesh. Dr. White, the surgeon of 

 the cutter, however, made careful measurements in accordance with specifications 

 ■which I left in his hantls, and I am satisfied that these measurements are accurate. 

 They met all the necessities of taxidermy, and are practically those which I would 

 have taken had I been present. The only thing lacking which I could have supplied 

 would have been casts and photographs of certain portions. I had, however, the ad- 

 vantage of the head already in the Museum, which was received from Alaska in ])ickle 

 and practically in the flesh, and was mounted in that condition after careful study 

 by Mr. Hornaday. I also had a photograph of the great hea<l of an Atlantic walrus. 



