1 6 Dircflor s Animal Report. 



The Museum of Comparative Zoology was undoubtedly the 

 most admirable institution for the study of zoology seen on the trip. 

 The classification and arrangement approached perfecftion, and the 

 amount of information placed in the cases was very great. Series 

 were made illustrating the morphology of many different species, 

 and in other cases types of genera and species had been seledied 

 and carded dissecfted. An excellent series of radiates were shown 

 by the glass models made by the Blatscha Bros., and the alcoholic 

 specimens were on view in another department. The museum 

 possessed a giant spider crab from Japan {K'a-nipferia kccmpfcri), 

 nearly as large as that in the Bishop Museum. 



At Rochester, N. Y., Ward's Natural Hi.story Establishment 

 was visited for the purpose of obtaining an insight to the most 

 modern methods of mounting specimens. The workshops were 

 examined, and the work appeared to be carried on in a ver}' sys- 

 tematic and thorough manner. Several u,seful suggestions were 

 kindly given by the Messrs. Ward. 



In Chicago a little time was spent in the Field Columbian 

 Museum, and while the collections were large, comprehensive and 

 valuable, the arrangement of some left much to be desired. It 

 w^ould seem that little attention had been paid to the correct identi- 

 fication of the ethnological specimens, for many common things 

 were found incorrectly labelled, and those which were labelled 

 aright were not classified in anything like a satisfactory manner. 

 The birds were nicely classified, and several very good groups were 

 seen — some of the collection however was in such darkness, that 

 the specimens were hardly visible. One section contained speci- 

 mens illustrating all the modes of locomotion on land, including 

 models or originals of the different types of railway engines — this 

 department was very interesting. The museum was in one of the 

 buildings remaining from the Columbian Exposition in 1893, and 

 contained many of the exhibits from that fair — these latter con- 

 stituted the greater part of the collection. 



The journe}' has been very interesting and instructive, and 

 many things were learned which will no doubt be of value in the 

 future arrangement of the Museum. 



