134 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



modification after a short time, when it was found that neither money, 

 time, nor materials sufficient to assemble such a collection before the 

 opening of the exposition were at command. 



With the intention, however, of having every important species rep- 

 resented, the curator visited the establishments of all the principal deal- 

 ers in natural-history material, and the collection of duplicates in the 

 Museum was also drawn upon very largely. It was found that only a 

 very small number of species were anywhere on sale, and that the Mu- 

 seum must rely upon its own resources. This it was able to do to a very 

 considerable extent, although it was found necessary to withdraw some 

 mounted specimens from the regular exhibition series, a proceeding 

 which the curator carried out with great reluctance. 



The force of taxidermists was raised to five, and, in addition, many 

 small species were sent to Mr. F. S. Webster. The specimens were di- 

 vided by the chief taxidermist among his assistants, and the work was 

 done carefully, thoroughly, and in time. Toward the end of fall lack of 

 funds caused a reduction of the force to three, which somewhat embar- 

 rassed the work. 



During the summer the taxidermists together mounted 68 specimens, 

 including several large forms, such as a bison, puma, jaguar, beaver, 

 coyote, &c, which occupied necessarily a great amount of time. In 

 addition to these, 81 specimens were mounted by Mr. Webster and his 

 assistants, making in all 149 specimens. A few in each lot were not 

 sent, while on the other hand 62 specimens were taken from the regular 

 series of the Museum. The total number of specimens exhibited was 

 160, representing 150 species and varieties. The series includes all the 

 North American ruminants except the musk-ox ; all the important car- 

 nivores, both aquatic and terrestrial (especially the fur-bearing family, 

 Mustelidce) ; all the native beneficial or noxious rodents j representative 

 species of porpoises ; the manatees j and the more characteristic monkeys, 

 sloths, bats, and insectivores. In addition a series intended to repre- 

 sent all the orders of the class mammalia was prepared. 



The collection was exhibited in four large cases, except the ruminants, 

 for which a separate, large, terraced stand was provided. The first case 

 contained the cats, dogs, bears, &c. ; the second the seals and whales j 

 the third the monkeys, weasels, bats, and insectivores and the first 

 group of rodents 5 the fourth, the remainder of the rodents, the eden- 

 tates, and opossums, and the series representing the orders of mam- 

 malia. The large terraced stand, as already stated, supported only the 

 ruminants. 



It will be observed that this collection, although considerably smaller 

 in point of number of specimens than that exhibited at the Centennial 

 Exposition, still contained representatives of almost the same number of 

 species. 



In addition to the specimens already mentioned, another small series 

 was sent to New Orleans, representing the character of work done in 



