Study Collections of Mammals 95 



Great advance has been made during the year in the rear- 

 rangement of the research collection of mammals, which was 

 resumed by Associate Curator Anthony on his 

 c^l! 7 ? return to the Museum from his expedition to 



Jamaica, and has since been carried on under 

 the direction of Assistant Curator Lang, with the aid of 

 Messrs. George G. Goodwin and T. D. Carter, who joined the 

 Department staff early in the year. 



The former insecure and inconvenient storage cases in 

 Room 15 were replaced during the summer by thirty-five new 

 metal cases of the standard pattern, to which the Rodents, 

 Bats, and other small mammal skins have been transferred 

 and arranged with their skulls, and the trays and cases duly 

 labeled. The current accessions have been catalogued and 

 installed in their proper storage relations. The whole collec- 

 tion has been examined for insect pests and due precautions 

 taken to guard against their intrusion. The rearrangement 

 and labeling of the cases in the osteological room have also been 

 nearly completed, so that the research collection as a whole is 

 in better condition than ever before, as regards both accessibil- 

 ity and safety. The African mammals are still kept separate 

 from the general collection, for convenience of access while 

 under investigation, and are under the special superintendence 

 of Assistant Curator Lang. 



Mr. Anthony, on returning from Jamaica, prepared a pre- 

 liminary report on the fossil mammal remains secured by him 

 in that island, describing four new genera and five new species 

 of hystricomorph rodents, all very distinct from any previously 

 known West Indian forms. A detailed report will be published 

 later when the material has been fully worked out for study. 



Several skeletons of African mammals of unusual rarity and 

 interest have been mounted and placed on exhibition. These 

 include exceptionally fine skeletons of Okapi and 

 Coition White Rhinoceros, the Aardvark and Giant Pan- 

 golin, and also of a small Flying-squirrel and 

 the "Hero Shrew," unique among mammals for its enormously 

 thickened vertebral column. The mounting was skilfully done 



