VISITORS' GUIDE TO THE MAMMALS. 



The series of visitors' guides, of which this on mammals is 

 one, is intended as a help to examine the most interesting 

 objects in the museum, and as an aid to learning their natu- 

 ral relations. 



THE HALL OF MAMMALS. 



On entering the building the collection of mammals first 

 presents itself before the visitor. 



Over the vestibule entrance is a portrait, by Huntington, 

 N. A., of the late Robert L. Stuart, second president of 

 the museum. 



The visitor will notice the admirable arrangement of 

 well-lighted cases, wherein the specimens are exhibited 

 with every accessory for displaying their characteristics to 

 the best advantage. The building is of iron and stone, and the 

 cases are iron with a thin finishing of wood on the exterior. 

 The valuable collections are thus placed out of the reach 

 of harm from fire. The doors of the cases are of finest 

 plate glass. 



As the old plan of exhibiting specimens of birds and 

 mammals with natural accessories, as trees and rocks, 

 is untidy and otherwise undesirable, objects are here re- 

 garded as works of art, that require for their proper display 

 simply pedestals, neatly proportional to the specimen. As 

 an important part of these appointments, which are in- 

 tended to be in harmony, as much so as a bust or statue 

 with its base, the label is in due symmetry with the stand 

 or perch. 



The term GROUP, with a number affixed at the head of 

 certain paragraphs in these guides, indicates in what part of 

 the collection the specimen is to be seen ; for example, 

 GROUP 1 stands for man-like apes, seen in the collection 

 of monkeys on the second floor. 



