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LAN 



PRE P AC ATlON 



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PR J» H |! 5 op RIC | ANCI ENT MONUMENTS! | IH MAMMALS 



NORTH OF MEXICO ' OF 



AMERICA [^CENTRAL AMERICA I I rjNOBTH AMEBIC* 



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V»«^ > — SOUTH ^"^ 



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1. ' Elevators. 2. Copies of Maya Monuments. 3. Local Birds. 



Second Floor 

 South Pavilion 



REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS 



This hall illustrates a phase of Museum progress, the temporary dis- 

 order that precedes an ultimate change for the better. At present the 

 hall contains a mixed assemblage of animals brought hither from other 

 halls in process of rearrangement. 



The group of king penguins from South Georgia Islands, one of 

 four devoted to the bird life of South America, is provisionally installed, 

 awaiting the construction of the Hall of Ocean Life. 



The Asiatic elephant is the famous "Tip" brought to this country in 

 1881, and for seven years one of the attractions of Forepaugh's circus. 

 Elephant He was given to the City of New York by Mr. Forepaugh 



" Tip " and lived in the Central Park Menagerie until 1894, when, 



because of his treacherous disposition, it was found necessary to kill him. 

 He is said to have caused the death of several of his keepers, and was 

 twenty-three years old when killed. 



Here, awaiting the construction of a new wing, is exhibited the collec- 

 tion of reptiles and amphibians. Because of the difficulty of preserving 

 Reptiles and the natural covering of many of these animals they are 

 Amphibians usually exhibited in jars of alcohol. In the specimens on 

 exhibition here the perishable parts have been cast in wax from life; 

 for example, in the star tortoise the original "shells" of the specimens 

 are used, while the head, neck and legs are restored in wax. The mount- 

 ing not only brings out the principal features of the species exhibited, but 

 in many instances illustrates also some distinctive habit of the animals; 



37 



