Jan., 1918. Annual Report of the Director. 



179 



a good many years ago, before the greatly improved methods of taxi- 

 dermy now in use had been perfected. In many instances these speci- 

 mens have been replaced by others of the same species of better quality. 

 Following this a reinstallation was made of part of the synoptic collec- 

 tion including especially the smaller ungulates as the wild sheep, goats, 

 and antelopes. These have been placed in twelve new cases of special 

 design adopted as a standard to be followed for the remainder of the 

 synoptic collection of mammals. The new cases have the general 

 dimensions arid appearance of the cases used throughout the Department 

 of Zoology but are modified for the especial display of large and medium- 

 size mammals by having slightly higher bases and by the use of single 

 plates of glass in the sides without interrupting mouldings. The length 

 of these cases is approximately 1 2 feet, the width 4 feet, and the height 

 8 feet. For smaller mammals a case of the same length and width but 

 much reduced height was necessary and two such cases were satis- 

 factorily installed; one with pigmy deer and antelopes and the other 

 with wolves and foxes. Although work has progressed on several groups 

 of mammals, none have been installed during the year. The most im- 

 portant mammal group under preparation is that of the American Bison, 

 made possible through the generosity of Mr. Arthur B. Jones. Marked 

 progress has been made with this group. Late in the winter of 1916 

 arrangements were made to obtain especially fine selected specimens 

 from the living bison in the well known Corbin herd maintained by the 

 Blue Mountain Forest Association of New Hampshire. At the proper 

 time, therefore, the Museum Taxidermist selected the animals and 

 prepared the skins and necessary parts of their skeletons together with 

 measurements and the data required in this connection. These excep- 

 tionally fine skins have been prepared by the skin dresser and are now 

 ready for use when needed. Meanwhile, a background was painted for 

 this group by Mr. C. A. Corwin, representing a scene near the last 

 stronghold of the bison in eastern Montana. This backgrotmd is of 

 semi-elliptical design and of very large size to conform to a generously 

 proportioned case which, as planned, will be 28 feet wide, 14 feet deep, 

 and 1 5 feet high. After preliminary models in wax had been made, full 

 size manikins for the seven bison to be included in the group were 

 prepared. During the year the work on the artificial vegetation acces- 

 sory to the jaguar and capybara group was finally completed and this 

 group is therefore ready for installation. Under the Stanley Field 

 Ornithology Fund, three additional habitat groups of birds have been 

 completed and installed for exhibition, and a fourth is well advanced. 

 The completed groups are as follows: Group i — Winter birds in 

 northern Illinois, showing a number of winter species, including Hairy 



