NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS 37 



The rest are alcoholics. 9) Aves, chiefly the C. B. Cory collec- 

 tion made under Mr Cory's direction in southern United States 

 and the West Indies, a collection from East Africa by the 

 museum's East African expedition and a collection of North 

 American bird skins. About 600 birds are mounted and a few 

 mounted groups beautifully illustrate color protection and other 

 characteristics. There is also a collection of North American 

 and foreign birds eggs. 10) Mammalia comprises over 8000 speci 

 mens*. A large series representing all orders is mounted and 

 arranged in systematic order, beginning with the duckbill and 

 ending with the chimpanzee. In addition there are 12 real and 

 artistic groups of large mammals, three to eight animals in each, 

 mounted by Mr C. E. Akeley, showing much of their natural 

 history. The valuable osteologic collection consists of mounted 

 skeletons of over 225 species of animals, including, with few 

 exceptions, all the important orders of the Vertebrata, and 

 arranged in systematic order, paralleling the mounted speci- 

 mens. 



Botam/. Economic: collections of the foreign governments in 

 forestry, as exhibited in the government and forestry 

 buildings at the World's fair; the major part of the 

 gums, oils, medicinal plants, tan barks, dyewoods, seeds 

 and fibers exhibited by the foreign countries in the ag- 

 ricultural and manufacturers building; the economic plant 

 exhibit of the United States government as displayed 

 in the government building; and portions of many Ameri- 

 can exhibits in this important branch of natural science. 

 Among the specimens exhibited is a very fine and costly decorti- 

 cation of a cork tree with three branches, considered to be the 

 best example of 'dexterous bark peeling ever procured. Start- 

 ing with the above material as a base, material that is unique 

 in its completeness and museum character, other large series 

 representing the source, utilization and character of a large 

 number of vegetable products are being installed. These series 

 begin with the source of each product and carry it through its 

 processes to its completed form for utilization by man. 



