44 



Forty- second Annual Report on the 



sonian Collection of shells which formerly occupied this case has 

 been placed in the drawers underneath. 



Early in the year the greater part of the collection of turtles 

 was loaned to Dr. G. Baur, of Yale College, who has been making 

 a special study of those animals. He identified the specimens 

 and affixed to each its correct name and its synonyms. Since the 

 return of the turtles they have been mounted upon fine, polished 

 walnut pedestals prepared by the La Rose Mfg. Co., and upon 

 ea*ch specimen a label has been placed, giving the English and 

 Latin names, and all the data that could be secured respecting 

 place of capture, donor, etc. 



During the year the collection of birds, which had been put in 

 good repair by Prof. H. A. Ward, has been placed in the new 

 cases built to receive them, and replacing the two cumbersome 

 cases in which this collection was formerly deposited. This 

 arrangement of the specimens, although it -is but temporary is a 

 great improvement upon the old arrangement, devised by the 

 former taxidermist. With the old cases, in order to come at the 

 birds, it was necessary to take down one or more of the sashes 

 which were about ten feet in length and very unwieldly, while the 

 shelves, which were arranged in a pyramid of steps and immov- 

 able, gave no opportunity to adjust the height of the shelves to 

 the size of the birds. The locks and the adjustable shelves in 

 the new cases obviate these two objections, beside affording room 

 for about double the number of specimens. 



The specimens of birds in the Museum have been reidentified 

 and the most recent nomenclature adopted. At present the old 

 labels are in service but it is proposed to replace them with new 

 ones in the near future. In printing the labels, care will be taken 

 to give the common or English name rather more prominence 

 than the classical or Latin name. This method has been 

 applied to the specimens of mammals which have been relabeled 

 and it appears to meet the approval of the public, although strictly 

 scientific men think it unnecessary. 



The collection of birds, as it now stands, is in no wise representative 

 of the avian fauna of the State. Not more than one-half the num- 

 ber of birds inhabiting the State is represented by specimens and 

 in very many cases only one sex of a species is present. With 

 some birds one sex can be made to answer, as there is but little 

 difference between the two sexes. In the great majority of instances, 



