70 NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS 



At the end of the hall is a group of Roosevelt Elk found in the Coasl 

 _, , _,, Range from British Columbia to northern California. Once 



Roosevelt Elk 111 1 , . • , 



abundant, they nave become much reduced m numbers, 



though an efforl is now being made to preserve them. 



Near by is a group of thai interesting animal, the Beaver, perhaps the 



_ most important of North American mammals and one 



Beaver ... . . . , . . . . . 



intimately connected with the early history and explora- 

 tion of this country 



On the sou tli side of the hall are displayed the cloven-hoofed animals 



of North America. These include sheep, musk ox, caribou, 

 G collared peccary and various species of deer. In one of 



the cases is a group of antelope showing the manner in 

 which they wander across the plains. 



Here too are, for the time being, shown the mammals of the polar 

 regions, placed in the North American hall in order that the Southeast 

 Pavilion, which once harbored them, may be used as a workroom for the 

 preparation of a group of African Elephants and other mammals from the 

 dark continent. Though the room is closed to the public yet much of the 

 interesting work of preparing these groups may be seen from the gallery 

 above, and later on visitors will be admitted on certain days. 



Grant's caribou inhabit the barren ground of the ex- 

 C b G treme western end of the Alaskan peninsula. The type 



specimen of this species is in the Museum. 

 Near by is a group of the Atlantic walrus. These huge mammals 



are relatives of the seals, inhabit the waters of the far north 



and are still fairly abundant along the shores of Greenland. 



The seal and walrus are the animals which play such an important part in 



the life of the Eskimo. Erom these animals come the principal food supply, 



skins for clothing, for fishing and hunting gear, boat covers, and harnesses 



for dog teams; from bones and tusks are made knives, bows, harpoons, and 



other hunting and cooking utensils. 



The specimens in the musk ox group were collected for the Museum 



by Admiral Peary in 1890. Musk oxen inhabit the snow- 

 Pe3.rv IVIusk 

 jf covered wastes of the Arctic barrens, living mainly upon 



willow leaves, dug up from under the snow. 

 Note the various devices in the way of labels introduced to make the 

 exhibits interesting and instructive. At the entrance attention is called to the 

 principal causes influencing the distribution of mammals; on many of the 

 labels are maps showing the range of the species shown, and near the group 

 of Mountain Sheep is a label including a ma}) and miniature models illus- 

 trating the species of North American mountain sheep and their range. 



SOUTHEAST PAVILION 



Being used as a workroom; see paragraph above. 



