90 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



V 



ZOOLOGY 



In spite of the temporary lack, or inaccessibility, of many things 

 essential to the work of the zoology section, substantial progress 

 has been made in restoring an orderly arrangement of the collections 

 and in acquiring the equipment necessary for meeting the require- 

 ments of a zoology exhibit much larger and more varied than could 

 be attempted in the former quarters. In the early part of the fiscal 

 year, the removal of the collections and outfit of the zoology section 

 was successfully accomplished. The time and labor previously de- 

 voted to packing and preparing the collections proved well spent; 

 the packed material was all handled rapidly and easily and arrived 

 in good condition. On account of the delay in delivering the zoology 

 storage cases, boxes and wrappings have been obliged to do long 

 service as storage. While by no means adapted for protection against 

 insects, depredations from that source seem to have been effectually 

 warded off by opening up the boxes and examining the specimens 

 as soon as warm weather came on, and putting in each box a 

 plentiful supply of naphthalene. No damage from insects has been 

 found in the material thus far taken out. 



The special groups of birds and animals having more or less 

 elaborate accessories, such as prepared or artificial plants, cellu- 

 loid or glass representing water, etc., presented great difficulties in 

 moving on account of their bulk and liability to injury. They were 

 carefully transported without packing, but not without considerable 

 damage, due largely to the partial dismantling made necessary by 

 the narrow and crooked stairway and lack of an elevator in Geo- 

 logical Hall. 



The group of fresh-water fishes prepared by Mr Klein while 

 taxidermist at this Museum was found most difficult to handle. 

 The large sheet of celluloid representing the surface of the water 

 cracked, causing considerable damage, apparently because of the 

 sudden change in temperature due to moving it in cold weather, 

 every care having been taken in handling it. 



The large group of black bears acquired several years ago and 

 temporarily set up at the State Normal College for lack of room 

 in Geological Hall, was also moved to the Education Building, 

 but on account of its large size, it had to be entirely dismantled 

 and nearly all the accessories, replaced. The moose group, which 



