MAMMALS AND BIRDS 



SHORTLY after the Museum's Charter was granted, in 1869, 

 the Trustees began the purchasing of collections, and by 1870 

 had secured the Elliot, the Maximilian, the Vedray, and 

 Verreaux collections. 



The most important was that of Prince Alexander Philip Maxi- 

 milian of Wied, which was purchased for £1,500 sterling. It con- 

 sisted of 4,000 mounted birds, 600 mounted mammals, and about 

 2,000 fishes mounted and in alcohol. Prince Maximilian visited Maximilian 

 Brazil in 1815, 1816, and 1817, exploring it through ten degrees of lati- J 7 ol l e n c n tio^, 

 tude, and gathering specimens for his collection. He came to the 

 United States in 1832, when little was known of the Far West, and as 

 an experienced naturalist visited the region between the Rocky Moun- 

 tains and the Mississippi. His collection, containing many types, was 

 regarded as the most important in Europe. 



The Elliot Collection of Birds consisted chiefly of North American Elliot 

 species and comprised over 2,500 specimens, and was purchased from Col ' e " ,on 

 Dr. Daniel Giraud Elliot for $7,351.62. $7,351. ' 



The Verreaux Collection, placed on the market because of the 

 death of its owner, Edward Verreaux of Paris, at that time the largest verreaux 

 dealer in specimens in the world, was purchased for $16,000. It j°g^ on ' 

 comprised 220 mounted mammals, 2,800 mounted birds, and 400 

 skeletons of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes. 



Two hundred and fifty specimens of mounted mammals and Siberian vedray 

 birds were purchased from M. Vedray, also of Paris, for $1,000. ^oof "' 



The skeleton of the North Atlantic right whale was one of the 

 first gifts of importance received by the Trustees for the new Museum. 

 This whale came ashore off Long Island, and the bones were purchased ^antic 

 by the Honorable Peter Cooper for use in Cooper Union. They proved Right whale, 

 too cumbersome, however, and were stored in the basement until, 



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