314 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



full-grown salamanders of the group are such wax casts. The two others 

 are cast from a model in clay made from a study of the living animal. 



The background of the group, painted by Mr. Hobart Nichols of the 

 American National Academy, is peculiarly successful in its effect of dis- 

 tance brought about by a broadly suggested treatment of river, trees and 

 sky as in a mural decoration. The new group is on exhibition with the 

 bullfrog group in the east tower of the second floor. 



COOPERATION WITH THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL 



SOCIETY 



By Charles W. Leng 



AT the entrance to the east tower room on the third floor there is a 

 sign reading " Local Collection of Insects in the Custody of the 

 New York Entomological Society." This is the public evidence 

 of the cooperation that is in force between the American Museum and this 

 society. As such extensive cooperation is peculiar to this Museum, and in 

 fact to its department of entomology, the history of its origin and results 

 may be interesting. The writer has always believed that the only excuse 

 for the existence of societies, apart from their social features, is the accom- 

 plishment of work too comprehensive for an individual to undertake alone, 

 while one of the functions of a public museum is to facilitate such associated 

 efforts and preserve their results. It was therefore encouraging to find 

 that the ideas of the American Museum's director and its scientific staff 

 were entirely in harmony with these thoughts. Consultations were held 

 with leading members of the New York Entomological Society as to the 

 direction in which museum aid could profitably be applied. A permanent 

 meeting place was the first step. Improvements in lighting, increased 

 library facilities, the installation of current entomological literature in the 

 meeting place, the purchase of needed books rapidly followed, and culmi- 

 nated for the time in the commencement of the Local Collection of Insects. 

 The knowledge of our local insects at this time was divided among about 

 one hundred entomologists scattered over the city and suburbs. Each of 

 these men knew something about a few insects from personal observation, 

 knew their names, their habits and food plants, and something about the 

 literature concerning them. Out of the hundred, a few of the older men 

 knew more than the average, and their collections servetl to aid the others 

 in obtaining names for their insects. For example Mr. William T. Davis of 

 State?i Island, had a private collection in which, after more than thirty years 

 of incessant field work and study, a goodly part of our local insects could be 



