In addition to the public exhibition collections, the 

 Department of Zoology has large research or study col- 

 lections, which are accessible to specialists and stu- 

 dents, and which, upon application, may be consulted 

 by anyone interested. The research collection of mam- 

 mals contains about 23,000 specimens, and is one of the 

 most important collections of its kind in the world. 

 The collection of birds numbers some 54,000 specimens, 

 and is particularly rich in West Indian and South 

 American examples. The fish and reptile collection is 

 large, and includes much material from Central Amer- 

 ica. The insect collection is largely local, except in 

 the case of butterflies and moths, of which there are 

 more than 50,000 specimens from all parts of the 

 world. 



N. W. HARRIS PUBLIC SCHOOL EXTENSION OF 

 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



The N. W. Harris Public School Extension of Field 

 Museum of Natural History is, in effect, a traveling 

 museum. Study of the records of attendance showed 

 that the number of school children who visited the Mu- 

 seum had never been as large as was desired. In order 

 to extend the educational influence of the Museum 

 among these children, an endowment of two hundred 

 and fifty thousand dollars was provided by the late 

 Norman Wait Harris. Later twenty-five thousand dol- 

 lars was added by the heirs to the Harris estate. The 

 interest on this benefaction is being expended in the 

 preparation of cases containing attractive and in- 

 structive exhibits of specimens, which are circulated 

 among the public schools by means of a specially de- 

 signed motor car. There are now about eight hundred 



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