State Museum of Natural History. 



45 



however, both sexes should be exhibited, and in addition, there 

 should be specimens illustrating the seasonal changes in plumage 

 whenever such changes are at all noticeable. It is hoped that the 

 Museum authorities will authorize the expenditure of some part 

 of the present annual appropriation for the purpose of supplying 

 the immediate wants of the ornithological collection. It is 

 believed that about $900 to $1,200 will be sufficient to secure a 

 representative of every species inhabiting the State and not now 

 represented in the collection. Other details of improvement could 

 be worked out at leisure. 



The additions to the zoological collections for the year (Appen- 

 dix) include several specimens worthy of particular notice, viz. : A 

 female moose, male reindeer, male and female hooded-seal, male 

 harbor-seal, wolverine and American sable or marten. All of these 

 animals were prepared by Prof. H. A. Ward, and represent examples 

 of the highest skill in taxidermy. The skins are in excellent condition 

 and this feature, in combination with the good workmanship which 

 has been bestowed upon them, and the fine pedestals upon which 

 they are mounted make them works of real art ; while the great inter- 

 est which the people manifest in the larger mammalia gives them 

 an additional value from an educational standpoint. Each of 

 these animals (with the probable exception of the reindeer) is a 

 member of the existing or historic fauna of the State, although 

 the harbor-seal is the only one of the number captured within 

 State limits. The Museum had a skeleton and a stuffed specimen 

 of the male moose, both taken from animals captured within the 

 State many years ago, and it seemed well to secure a specimen of 

 the female, and thus complete the suite illustrating that 

 animal. There is no trustworthy evidence to show that 

 the reindeer ever inhabited New York, but as it forms 

 a part of the near-by extra-limital fauna, and is often men- 

 tioned in newspapers and in the writings of arctic explorers 

 it was thought proper that a specimen should be placed in 

 the collection. The other animals mentioned above, as well as 

 some others which were purchased, form part of the living fauna 

 of the State, and the reason for purchasing them is obvious. 



The work of the Zoological Department for next year will be 

 mainly as follows : 



The Anodons and the fresh-water and terrestrial univalves of 

 the Beecher collection, will be prepared for exhibition ; the 



