THE VIRGINIA DEER— A CHARACTERISTIC NORTH AMERICAN MAMMAL 



Line drawing from the mounted specimen. This Virginia do? stands as th^ 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 tlie hall 

 ., , ,, devoted to North American mammals, the first to catch 



AlQclro^ri JVXOOSC 



the eye being the giant moose of Alaska. In the cases 

 on the west wall and elsewhere are groups illustrating species found 

 within fifty miles of New York City. One of these groups shows the opos- 

 sum, the sole representative in the Unitetl 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 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. 



(37 



Raccoon 

 Foxes 



