SCIENCE. 



61 



SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 18 



BIRD FURNITURE. 

 BY DR. J. B. HOLDER, ASST. SUPT. AM. MUSEUM. 



It is fair to say that, hitherto, no serious effort has 

 been directed toward the proper furnishing of museum 

 cabinets. This is especially the case with reference 

 to Ornithology. Excellent specimens, often rare, all 

 most valuable, and many special pets, highly prized, 

 are placed with such surroundings and accessories 

 as to very much detract from the pleasing effect they 

 are capable of producing. This is so patent that any 

 intelligent observer must have noticed the incongruity, 

 though the cause may not be clear to him. 



This subject will bear a very much fuller consider- 

 ation than we can now give it. We will, however, 

 present the results of a deliberate and careful study of 

 certain desiderata in this connection. The trustees of 

 the American Museum of Natural History in Central 

 Park, New York, in view of the great value and 

 scientific importance of the Prince Maximillian collec- 

 tion of birds, owned by the museum, determined to 

 have them mounted in a manner commensurate with 

 their worth. 



A large collection of skins of North American birds 

 presented by Mr. Elliott, was also placed in the hands 

 of the taxidermist. To be in keeping with the excel- 

 lent work sure to come from Mr. Bell, the matter of 



Fig. 



perches 

 In large 



and stands became of the first importance, 

 museums specimens are frequently moved to 



allow of more varied views, or to give place to others 

 near them : it is desirable to exhibit one bird facing, 

 another sidewise, the next with its back in front ; this 

 involves a change or removal of label. 



To simplify this, as the result of our experiments, 

 we refer to the figure of the bird perch. The wood is 

 of the plainest straight-grained mahogany, handsomely 

 polished. Though somewhat more expensive, it is 

 regarded economical to use such furniture, as in a 

 large museum it is manifestly desirable to avoid any 

 future overhauling, or what householders call " spring 

 cleaning." The polished stands and perches only re- 

 quire the occasional use of a feather duster. Birds 

 once mounted in this manner require nothing further, 

 and remain intact for all time. The base of the perch 

 is hollowed, as indicated by dotted lines at " A." This 

 is to allow labels or written notes to be concealed 

 safely beneath for reference. 



The top of the base "B.B." is, practically, a 

 tablet, upon which the label rests and rotates. The 

 upright or column presents an appearance of com- 

 pleteness after the label is mounted ; the bead just 

 under which the label works forming the base, all 

 below being out of sight. 



C-'-tT- 



7R1NG/K ALPINA. 

 Red Sac M Sa.-n.dA Lh er. 



/VtuvYa-rk. Mai e. 



Fig. 2. 



" E " represents a bit of tin which embraces the 

 label in front on its upper edge, and lies behind and 

 in contact with it. A slender copper wire is passed 

 around the tin, and is then compressed into the 

 groove which surrounds the upright at " C.C." 

 This wire is twisted behind the upright, and left pro- 

 jecting sufficiently to allow it to be held by the thumb- 

 nail while rotating the label upon the tablet, " B.B." It 

 will be readily seen that this movement is easily made, 

 and constitutes the chief point of interest in the perch. 

 We think also that the proportions of the perch, the 

 manifest harmony of parts, the fitting relations of 

 label and tablet, each designed for the other in due 

 proportions, may be regarded as improvements more 

 or less in advance of the old methods. 



Another group of birds than those that perch re- 

 quire flat stands ; as ducks, walking birds, etc. 



Our second illustration exhibits a device, very 

 simple, yet suitable. It is desirable to place the label 

 upon the stand, so that it may be removed or its 



