74 LIFE OF FLOWER 



any greater extent during Sir William's lifetime. But 

 these presumed difficulties were subsequently overcome, 

 and of late years a considerable number of the cases 

 containing the larger species of mammals have been 

 treated in this manner with excellent effect and a vast 

 increase to the general attractiveness of the museum. 

 In some instances a merely conventional ground- work has 

 been introduced, but in others a more realistic effect has 

 been attempted. A notable example of this is the 

 reindeer-case, in which the artificial ground-work is 

 covered with rocks, lichen, moss, and birch-stems 

 obtained from the reindeer pastures of Norway. 

 Similarly, the Arctic musk-oxen have been placed on an 

 imitation snow-slope. Although, as already said, much 

 of this work has been carried out since his death, 

 the idea originated entirely with Flower. A similar 

 grouping of animals on artificial ground-work when 

 possible in imitation of the natural surroundings has 

 been instituted in some of the American museums, but 

 whether following Flower's lead, or as an original 

 inspiration, I am unable to say. 



At the time when Sir William took over the office of 

 Keeper of the Zoological Department (in addition to the 

 Directorship), the scheme then in vogue at the museum 

 scarcely assigned to man his real zoological position 

 at the head of the order Primates in the mammalian 

 class. It is true that in the osteological gallery the 

 genus Homo was represented by a couple of skeletons 

 and a series of skulls. But in the gallery devoted to 

 stuffed specimens man, as an integral portion of the 

 exhibited series, was conspicuous by his absence. This 

 by no means suited the views of the Director, who in an 



