'State Museum of Natural History. 17 



exhibition of tlie collection of recent corals wliicli was purchased 

 last year, and of the Beecher collection of fresh-water shells, has 

 made necessary some changes in the arrangement of the cases. In 

 order to use the available space to better advantage, the two large 

 floor cases which had heretofore been occupied for the birds and 

 mammals in part, were taken out and three new double cases 

 placed on the floor, alternating with the three table cases. As 

 now arranged, the wall-cases extend around the room and the 

 center is occupied by three table cases and three vertical cases. 

 The collections of shells are retained in the table cases as hereto- 

 fore, excepting the west side case which is to receive the New 

 York fresh- water moUusca, and principally the large collection given 

 by Mr. Beecher. 



The mammals of the State are arranged in the wide case at the 

 west end of the room ; the smaller mammals occupy the west side 

 of the vertical case at that end of the room. The remaining space 

 in this vertical case and the two new cases is given to the birds. 

 On the north or front side, the wall and table cases are devoted to 

 the corals, sponges and crustaceans. At the east end, on the Lodge 

 street side of the Museum, the old arrangement is retained and 

 the foreign mammals and the osteological specimens are there 

 exhibited in a large wall case divided into three sections as formerly. 



In the Zoological department the work of renovating and enlarg- 

 ing the collections of birds and mammals belonging to the fauna 

 of New York, was begun last autumn by Prof. Henry A. Ward, of 

 Rochester, and has been continued quite up to date of writing. 

 The stuffed birds and mammals were all examined and all which 

 could be cleaned and improved were so treated. Several of the 

 mammals have been restuffed and all of them have been remounted 

 on polished walnut pedestals corresponding to the birds which are 

 thus mounted. The examination of the birds showed that some 

 had faded so much as to be worthless and others were badly 

 mounted. Altogether about 100 specimens were thrown out as too 

 poor to be placed in the renovated collection. The loss in mam- 

 mals was small. The improvement in color, form and mounting 

 made by this work of renovation is great, and adds to the beauty 

 and value of the collection. The improved style of cases, with 

 more space and better light, show the specimens to better advan- 

 tage and make these collections even more attractive than ever 

 before. The loss in birds will necessitate the purchase of addi- 

 3 



