REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 141 



A Sea-otter from Sanuak Island, Alaska. 



A fainily of Badgers from Kansas, with i)lant.s and ground-wr)rk, reprcsentiTii^ tlit^ 

 natural surroundings of these animals on the plains. 



A group of three Woodland Caril>ou, from Newfoundland, with acccissoricH rrpre 

 seating the more open portions of that island. 



A group of Barren-ground Caribou from Alaska, on the "tundias." or tn-dess 

 jiiains. 



A group of four Rocky Mountain (Joats, from Montana and British Colunihia, rep- 

 resented as standing on a ledge of a rocky mountain side. 



A grouj) of six Rocky Mountain Sheep, from Wyoming and Montana, rei)resented as 

 climbing about a mountain pi'ak, near the snow-line. 



A group of nine-banded Armadillos, from Texas, with accessories showing the 

 prickly vegetation of the arid regions. 



A family of Virginia Opossums, showing nest and young. 



Virginia Deer. A scene at tlie margin of a water-course iu Virginia. A group, 

 comprising two bucks, a doe, and a fawn, with accessories, consisting of trees 

 and plants characteristic of Virginia, intended to convey an idea of the surround- 

 ings iu which the Virginia deer was tirst seen by the European colonists. 



Active work iu iustiillatiou was l)e,iiuii iu ^lay, 1891, when the curator 

 visited the establislimeuts of the larger dealer.s iu uatural liistory sup- 

 plies, and obtained such materials and specimens as were needed to begin 

 the work. The force of taxidermists was iucreased from three to uiue, 

 and divided into two parties, one of whicli worked on the groups and the 

 other on the single specimens intended for the systematic series. Mr. 

 William Palmer was appointed chief taxidermist, and had immediate 

 charge of the work nuder the general supervision of the curator; by 

 whose judgment and artisti<; taste tlie effectiveness of the groups was 

 greatlj' enhanced. 



In preparing the groui)s every effort was made to produce an artis- 

 tic effect, not less than to secure complete fidelity to nature, and 

 sound and finished workmanship. Every one employed contiibuted 

 his shaie of special skill and knowledge, and advantage was taken, as 

 far as possible, of advice given by competent field naturalists. 



Photographs of living animals and of characteristic scenery were 

 utilized when available. Special acknowledgment should be made to 

 j\Ir. Oeorge Bird (Irinuell, of New York, f(n- advice and assistance in 

 connection with the group of Mountain Goats; to Col. Cecil Clay, of 

 Washington, and to Eev. M. Harvey, of Halifax, in connection with 

 that of the Woodland Caribou. Mr. J. Stanley P>rown obtained large 

 quantities of lichens and mos.ses in Alaska for the groui) of IJarreu- 

 ground Caribou. 



A new feature in these groui)s was tlie introduction of natural leaves, 

 grasses, plants, and .sea weeds, prepared by a process invented and 

 satisfactorily carried out by Mr. William Palmer. Vines with leaves 

 and tendrils which had never been detached from the natural stalk, 

 and other similar accessories, were used, producing effects which couUl 

 not be obtaine<l ))y artificial leaves fastened on artificial stems. 



Tiie production of these groups is attended with many dilliculties, 

 and the number which can be constrncted in a given time would be 



