AGASSIZ HALL 



This hall, named after Professor Louis Agassiz, to 

 whom in a large measure the Museum owes its exist- 

 ence, contains on the south side the collection of North 

 American birds, and on the north side cases illustrat- 

 ing geographical distribution, morphological adapta- 

 tions to various functions, etc. 



Light Relations of Animals. — At the right as we 

 enter this room is a small case containing the begin- 

 ning of a series to illustrate the light relations of 

 animals. Here are blind fish from caves, which, pre- 

 ferring the darkness, have lost the use of their eyes. 

 "With them is the mole who has little use for his small 

 eves well covered by his fur. Here are the fireflies 

 as a type of the animals with the power of yielding a 

 phosphorescent glow. Many fishes and the lower 

 marine forms possess this in a high degree. Below 

 is the owl with his large eyes prepared to catch the 

 faintest amount of light. But notice in the hawk 

 owl, or daylight owl, that when an owl takes to flying 

 in the daytime, it also assumes the appearance of a 

 day flying bird. And on the other hand the night 

 parrot fiom New Zealand illustrates the fact that when 

 one of a class of day fliers becomes nocturnal, it comes 



