THE VIRGINIA DEER— A CHARACTERISTIC NORTH AMERICAN MAMMAL 



Line drawing from the mounted specimen. This Virginia doe stands as the first example in the 

 Museum of the new methods of animal sculpture as opposed to the old taxidermy. It was mounted 

 and presented by Carl E. Akeley in 1902. 



SOUTHEAST WING 



Mammals of North America 



Continuing east beyond the elevator corridor, we enter the hall con- 

 taining specimens of North American mammals. In the cases on the 

 west wall are groups illustrating the mammals found \\ithin fifty miles of 

 New York City. The first of these groups shows the opossum, the sole 

 / representative in the United States of the marsupial or 



pouched mammals. With what appear to be the head and 

 ears of a pig and the prehensile tail of a monkey, with a strange pouch for 

 the transportation of the young, and with proverbial cunning and re- 

 markable tenacity of hfe, the opossum is one of the quaintest and most 

 interesting of North American mammals. This is the animal so famous 

 in the negro songs of the South. 



Next in order is the raccoon, more commonh' known as 



the ''coon." It is nocturnal in habit and makes its nest 



iFoxes -j^ hollow trees. Two species of fox are shown, the red fox 



and the gray fox, both of which are justly famous for their sly cunning. 



59 



