42 The National Collection 



It is now quite in order for gifts as yet unmade to be hastened somewhat, 

 in order that when the new building is "inaugurated" the National Collection 

 of Heads and Horns will constitute its chief feature of interest. With this 

 number of our annual publication, a circular letter will be sent to all the sports- 

 men of North America, whose names and addresses are on our list, and to it 

 their careful attention is earnestly invited. 



There is a point on which the Committee in charge of the formation of the 

 National Collection bespeaks special consideration from all those making gifts. 

 While we very much desire to secure specimens that are extra large and fine, 

 and as many as possible that are "records," many others are desirable because 

 of their rarity, and possibly for other reasons equally good. We must have, 

 as early as possible, a complete collection as to species,, arranged geograph- 

 ically, for all the world, and another equally complete, arranged in zoological 

 sequence. Naturally the consummation of these two grand objects will lead 

 occasionally to the acceptance of a rare head that is really small for its kind, 

 with a view to replacing it in after years by another which will more fitly repre- 

 sent the species. In view of this condition, which really must be met, we ask all 

 contributors to give the Committee a reasonable amount of discretion in the 

 placing of their gifts in the two grand series which some day will render this 

 collection famous. Many specimens will be useful besides those that make 

 up the two series, for there will naturally be developed a number of special ex- 

 hibits, to serve special purposes, some of them of very decided importance. 

 For example, of a species that varies as greatly as does the White-Tailed 

 Deer, it will be well to illustrate those variations by a special collection of at 

 least a score of specimens, covering various localities. 



Practically all the measurements recorded for the gifts received between 

 April 1, 1907, and July 1, 1908, were made by Ferdinand Kaegebehn, 

 Librarian of the New York Zoological Park. There is every reason for the 

 belief that they are conservative and correct. All dimensions are given in feet 

 and inches. 



