56 



The National Collection 



in the spring, it is almost certain that their colors are lighter than they were in 

 the late fall and early winter. This seasonal color change is one of the few con- 

 stant conditions that have marked the four Alaskan Brown Bears (from three 

 localities) now living in the New York Zoological Park. 



The measurements of the four large mounted heads of big Brown Bears, 

 and the mounted head on the large skin, are as follows: 



BEAR HEADS 



The Walrus Heads and Tusks. (Plate XIII). The Reed-McMillin 

 collection contains two mounted heads of Pacific Walrus, (Odobaenus obcsus) 

 and seven pairs of Walrus tusks. The heads themselves are very large, and 

 excellently mounted, but none of the tusks are of unusual size. Their owners 

 were killed by Mr. Reed, on the west coast of the Alaska Peninsula, in 

 November, 1901. 



The Pacific Walrus is a far larger animal than its Atlantic relative, and 

 its form is much more remarkable. Its most astonishing feature is the great 

 height and enormous neck of the adult male, which really is almost incredible 

 until seen. A specimen measured by Henry W. Elliot on Walrus Island, 

 Bering Sea, measured 12 ft. 7 in. in length, not including the hind flippers, 

 and its girth was 14 feet! Naturally, the mounted head of such a marine mon- 

 ster as this is a remarkable object, and rarely come by, even in a natural history 

 museum. An adult bull Pacific Walrus which could be induced to live in a 

 show for one season would be a greater wonder than forty elephants. Unfor- 

 tunately, however, such an animal never has been kept in captivity, and prob- 

 ably never will be. The dimensions of the two large mounted heads in the 



collection are as follows: 



No. 149, 

 Greatest width .................................................... 15 inches; 



Circumference of muzzle ....................... . ............ 45f 



Width of muzzle .................................................. 15J 14f 



Circumference, at back of head .......................... 59J 52 



No. 150, 

 15 inches. 



