THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM 



Portraits of Darwin and Huxley, the men most promi- 

 nently associated with the theories of evolution and survival 

 of the fittest, are placed in the entry of this room. On the 

 left an exhibit dealing with man's place in nature shows, 

 by comparison of human skulls with those of other mem- 

 bers of the Order Primates and by models of brains and 

 casts, how man differs from and approximates other species 

 of his order, and, by comparison of skulls of different races 

 of mankind, how man varies within his own species. 



On either side of the entry are exhibits showing on the 

 one hand Protective Coloration in insects, by examples 

 whose color and markings blend with their natural sur- 

 roundings, and on the other Mimicry of harmful by harm- 

 less insects for protection. 



What may be termed a refinement of protective colora- 

 tion is shown in an exhibit immediately opposite the en- 

 trance, illustrating obliterative shading. This shows a flock 

 of birds, some of which, though identical with the back- 

 ground in color and markings, stand out from it clearly 

 because of the effects of natural light and shadow, and 

 others, which, though unlike the background, are shaded 

 so as to counteract these effects and are less noticeable. 



Above this exhibit is shown a mounted skunk in its en- 

 vironment, to illustrate ruptive coloration, or the way in 

 which contrasted marking of an animal may break up its 

 outline and render it less distinguishable. 



Variation Within the Species constituted the starting 

 point for the production of new species, and on the west 



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