October 15, 1886.] 



SCIUWCU. 



341. 



secured by wires or twine to hold them in j)lace 

 until dry. Great i^ains were taken in inserting 

 the eyes, — made from a color-sketch of the 

 originals, — and marking in their surrounding 

 lines, on which depended the expression of the 

 face. After thoroughly drying, all seams were 

 filled with papier-mache, while a sHght but care- 

 ful use of color restored the skin to its original 

 aspect (fig. 4). 



Thus was Mungo reconstructed, and thus did 

 Mr. Hornaday successfully solve the problem of 

 so mounting an elephant that his hide should ap- 

 pear loose and wrinkled, instead of, as is too often 



A FEW WORDS ABOUT PAVEMENTS. 



A EECENT report to the commissioners of ac- 

 counts of this city, prepared by Col. George T. 

 Balch, and relating to a pavement now being laid 

 in Fifth Avenue, shows clearly the difference be- 

 tween pavements scientifically constructed and 

 those with which New-Yorkers ai-e more famUiar. 

 The value of the report is enhanced by the judi- 

 cious use of engravings, some of which are repro- 

 duced herewith. Fig. 1 is a transverse section 

 through a pavement constructed in accordance 

 with the specifications prepared by the city 







Fig. 3. —Pavement after heavy tkaffic. 



Fig. 4.— Effects of wet sand and leakage. 



the case, smooth and swollen. Mungo was ex- 

 hibited at the Washington meeting of the Society 

 of American taxidermists, and received the special 

 medal 'for the best piece in the entire exhibition.' 

 This elephant may be said to represent the be- 

 ginning of the new and better class of taxidermy 

 at the national museum ; and although four years 

 ago he stood, as regards quality, almost isolated, 

 he is to-day surrounded by so many pieces of equal 

 merit that we may look hopefully forward to the 

 time when the mounted mammals of the national 

 museum shall be unsurpassed. 



Frederic A. Lucas. 



authorities. The agreement between the city and 

 the contractor called for sound granite blocks, 

 approximately uniform in size, rammed solidly 

 down upon a bed of sharp, clean, dry sand ; the 

 spaces between the blocks to be filled with clean, 

 dry, hard gravel, free from sand, over and through 

 which should be poured hot coal-tar cement. 

 The sand bedding was to rest upon a concrete 

 foundation at least six inches thick, laid upon a 

 well-tamped road-bed. Were the provisions of 

 the agreement carried out. Fifth Avenue would 

 have a pavement nearly perfect of its kind. But, 

 according to Colonel Balch's report, nearly every 



