Jan., 1910. 



Annual Report of the Director. 



363 



and will doubtless be installed during the year. A habitat group of 

 antelopes (Antelocapra americana) has been begun and in November 

 Mr. Julius Friesser visited northern Mexico securing the necessary 

 accessory material. Owing to the generosity of Mr. Stanley Field, 

 who provided the necessary funds, four large habitat groups of birds 

 have been begun and bid fair to excel any work of the kind which has 

 been undertaken. These groups will show the following North 

 American species under natural conditions: 1, California condors 

 (scene, mountains of Southern California); 2, wild turkeys (scene, 

 forest of Northern Louisiana); 3, white pelecans, cormorants, gulls, 

 etc. (scene, breeding grounds, Quill Lake, Saskatchewan region, 

 Canada); 4, wild geese, ducks, terns, etc. (scene, breeding grounds, 

 vicinity of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada). In this connec- 

 tion the services of Mr. C. A. Corwin have been secured to prepare the 

 painted backgrounds. Ten large mammals have been added to the 

 systematic series of mounted mammals during the year. These 

 include 2 glacier bears, 1 Stone's caribou 1, mountain goat, 2 

 Alaska wolves, 1 wolverene, and 2 Alaska lynx. About 80 small 

 and medium-sized birds have been finished and placed on exhibition. 

 A collection of photographs of living animals intended especially for 

 use of the taxidermists has been begun and proves most valuable. 

 One fish case containing 4 groups of fresh- water fishes and 36 jars of 

 fishes in formaldehyde have been installed. One python has been 

 mounted, and a large alligator has been installed in the exhibition 

 rooms. In progress of preparation is a case 6 x 12 feet to contain 

 6 groups of tropical fishes, each group with a glass front 3x6 feet; 

 below these groups, occupying the entire floor of the case, is being 

 installed a group consisting of a large tiger shark and her 44 young. 

 Much attention has been given during the past year to the collection 

 of local insects, with a view to installing an exhibition collection 

 representing the insect fauna of the State. For several years it has 

 not been possible to prepare the specimens as rapidly as they were 

 received, with the result that a large amount of material has ac- 

 cumulated which has not been pinned. It was to the preparation of 

 these insects that more time was devoted than to any other work, 

 by the Assistant Curator. Owing to facilities for degreasing skulls 

 and skeletons, which were secured through the courtesy of Mr. 

 William Warwick, Superintendent of the Standard Oil Company 

 plant at Whiting, Indiana, who placed a building at the disposal of 

 the Museum for that purpose, 43 skeletons and skulls were degreased. 



