VIII 

 REPORT OF THE ZOOLOGIST 



The report of the Zoologist covers the fiscal years of 19 17-18. 

 Field investigation continued the work of the previous year ; particu- 

 larly, the collection of spiders from localities in the State hitherto 

 neglected. Valcour island, Lake Champlain and the region near the 

 southeast end of Lake George yielded many species new to the State 

 and added much to our knowledge of the distribution of other species. 

 Particular attention was given to the study of the genus Dolomedes 

 in view of a revision of that group. A week in October 19 17 was 

 spent in the vicinity of Newcomb, where N. T. Clarke and the 

 Zoologist collected material for a habitat group of beavers. A large 

 female beaver, portions of a dam and " house " and nimierous 

 examples of " cuttings " were secured, which, with the material 

 already in the Museum, are being assembled in a realistic manner in 

 the new group. 



The group when finished will occupy a case 16 by 11 feet, open on 

 two sides and exhibiting in part a beaver " flow ," part of a dam and 

 the animals in positions suggestive of their activities. A painted 

 semicircular background 2 5 feet long will continue the illusion of the 

 " flow " into the distance and give a typical Adirondack setting. 



Several new groups added during 19 17 (woodchuck, otter and 



flicker) were mentioned in the report of the Director for that year. 



In 19 1 8 a group of timber wolves, depicting an early winter hunting 



. scene, was installed by Mr Henri Marchand from plans worked out 



by the Zoologist. 



During the absence of the Zoologist in naval service in 19 18, 

 scientific investigation in the division of zoology was necessarily 

 curtailed; nevertheless a considerable amount of technical work was 

 carried on by N. T. Clarke in the preparation and installation of an 

 extensive series of especially designed plaster mounts for the Benja- 

 min W. Arnold collection of birds' eggs. 



The services of Mr Silas C. Wheat of Brooklyn, an accomplished 

 conchologist, were secured for a period of several months in 19 18. 

 Mr Wheat devoted himself to the study and arrangement of part of 

 the Museum's valuable collection of mollusks, most of which have 



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