Mounting the skin of a lizard of Tropical 

 America (lyunna luhtrcidntn) . The skin, 

 filled with a soft preparation, is tooled into 

 shape from a living model and the prepara- 

 tion within hardeas in the permanent form. 

 Mr. Blaschke brings the same skill to reptile 

 taxidermy that he displays in his work on 

 mammals 



of millions of years ago in a few forms 

 only, such as the nearly extinct ele- 

 j)liant tortoise of a few tropical islands, 

 the leatherhack turtle of troj)ical seas, 

 the ga\ ial of India, the largest modern 

 reptile, and the giant salamander of 

 .Iai)anese streams. Also neither race 

 gives prf)mise f)f ad\'ance for the future. 

 Modern ;nii])liil)ia iiuinl)cr only one- 

 eighth of the race of hshes and one- 

 tenth f)f birds and have taken no step 

 toward freeing themselves from de- 

 pendence on fresh water, in fact on 

 moisture in a constant .supply, and 

 modern reptiles seem not much better 

 placed for the future being fitted for 

 life in eciuatorial regions only and 

 absolutely dependent on heat for 

 activity. The very high specializa- 

 tion however, which removes from 

 tlicm the cliance of ad\ance, gives 

 them unusual value for exhibition 

 in an educational institution like the 

 American Museum. For jierhaps in 

 no other vertebrate groups is there 

 more o[)portimity for the study of 

 remarkable relations to en\ironment 

 including many instances of economic 

 worth and direct relation to agricul- 

 ture through the destruction of insect 

 and rodent enemies; as also opi)or- 

 t.inity for the study of examples of 

 structure, embryology and relation- 

 shijj, illuminating as proofs of the 

 imi)ortant roles played in the develop- 

 ment of intelligent life on the earth. 

 It would seem fortunate for mu- 

 seum exhibition that some successful 

 methods have been found, and still 

 others are likely to reward research, 

 for reproducing these forms ade- 

 quately and permanently. 



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