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 



Opossum 



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



., , _, taining specimens of North American mammals, the first 

 Al3.skd.il JVIoosg 



to catch the eye being the giant moose of Alaska. In the 



cases on the west wall are groups illustrating the mammals found within 



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 



remarkable tenacity of life, 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 commonly known as 



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



in 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. 



65 



Raccoon 

 Foxes 



