96 A NATURALIST IN MEXICO. 



center of the hall a good sized horizontal case in which a 

 number of foreign and native animals were displayed. At 

 the end of the hall was a finely mounted specimen of the 

 Asiatic Elephant, Elephas indiciis. In the flat cases over 

 the central ones were arranged a number of insects, quite 

 well preserved, but poorly named. 



The next hall was devoted to the Department of Orni- 

 thology, and here we found the richest collection of the 

 museum. Arranged in wall cases about the hall were 

 several hundred birds, native and exotic. Among the 

 native birds were Audubon's Warbler, Sumichrast's Jay, 

 Mexican Tohee, and a number of the birds obtained by us 

 at Orizaba and San Andres. Among the exotic birds were 

 the rare New Zealand Parrot, Strigops habroptilus, and the 

 beautiful Bird of Paradise, Paradisia reggiana. Also the 

 Golden Turkey, Meleagris ocellata. Nearly all the larger 

 orders were represented, forming, upon the whole, a very 

 good generic collection. A few eggs and nests were taste- 

 fully arranged in the lower compartments of several cases. 

 Most of the birds were correctly named. In this hall were 

 also several mammals and a few cases of insects. 



The next hall was devoted to Anthropology. Here 

 was a case of skulls (casts), showing the form of the 

 head of different races; a case containing pieces of tanned 

 human skin, and several alcoholic specimens of human 

 foeta; two cases of human skulls with a few photos, show- 

 ing types of Mexican natives; a skull in a case showing 

 different parts, a very good skeleton, and two mummies. 



In the next hall, beyond, was exhibited a fairly good 

 collection of reptiles, fishes, etc. This collection was 

 represented by a number of alcoholic and stuffed specimens. 

 Here I saw better stuffed fishes than are to be seen in many 

 of our museums in the United States. 



The alcoholic collection was very neatly and tastefully 



