670 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886. 



FORWARDING ANIMALS IN THE FLESH. 



In cold weather, particularly from December 1 to March 1, a dead 

 animal may safely be sent (frozen) from as far west as the Rocky 

 Mountains. In the cool months of November and March specimens may 

 safely be forwarded from points 500 miles distant. From May to Octo- 

 ber animals should be disemboweled and packed in ice when sent from 

 points more than twelve hours by rail from Washington. 



Large animals with thick hair, such as deer, elk, moose, bear, etc., can 

 be sent without boxing, but it will be well to sew them up in coarse 

 sacking to protect the hair. Small animals and others with close hair, 

 such as the zebra, lion, tiger, or giraffe should be boxed and packed in 

 straw or shaviugs to protect the hair from being rubbed off. Animals 

 of the largest size, such as rhinoceros, elephant, or hippopotamus must 

 be skinned and skeletonized where they die by our own preparators, 

 who hold themselves in readiness to start at once for any point, on the 

 receipt of information by telegraph. 



The Smithsonian Institution will pay all charges for boxing and cart- 

 age upon presentation of vouchers in regular form, and airfreight and 

 express charges will be met here. As a rule, dead animals should always 

 be sent by express, the exceptions being in the cases of largo animals 

 forwarded from a great distance in the middle of winter, when they could 

 as safely come by freight. 



All donations are promptly acknowledged by the director of the Mu- 

 seum, both by letter and in the annual report, and the names of donors 

 also appear in the catalogues, and upon the large printed labels attached 

 to their specimens in the exhibition cases. 



TRANSPORTATION. 



Specimens should be very securely packed previous to shipment, and 

 plainly addressed as follows: " Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. 

 C: for the National Museum. Perishable. 11 Shipments may be for- 

 warded by Government vessels when available, or by the ordinary lines 

 of transportation at the expense of the Institution. 



In case immediate information or instructions are required in relation 

 to any dead animal of special importance, which is at the disposal of 

 the institution, the donor or his representative may telegraph without 

 paying charges. 



Telegrams and correspondence should be addressed to "Prof. S. P. 

 Langley, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. G. v 



In all cases the utmost dispatch is necessary in order that specimens 

 sent may, reach us in good condition for anatomical study and dissection. 



U. S. National Museum, 



Washington, I). C, April 12, 1886. 



