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DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 
The collections in Zoology occupy Halls 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 
25, 26, 27, the greater part of the West Court and the alcoves 
on the south side of this court. Of these halls and alcoves the 
Department of Ornithology occupies Halls 26 and 27 and Alcove 
100, and the collections found therein will be described on page 
147 - 
A word may be said regarding the names on the labels of 
the objects. The inquiry is often made why “ common names,” 
“ English names,” are not employed instead of the Latin system- 
atic names. This brief answer may be given: The experience 
of naturalists for a century and a half has demonstrated the 
necessity of using the system of naming now in use. All 
described objects must have a name. Relatively few of them 
have a “ common name.” No system that would meet acceptance 
could probably be devised to give all described animals a ver- 
nacular name. 
English names invented by naturalists would not be common 
names, and when given are not usually accepted by people in 
general. On the labels the common English names are usually 
given, when such exist. simply as names ; 
just as we do those of our own and our neighbors’. 
WEST COURT. 
Under the supposition that the visitor will enter the De- 
partment of Zoology through the West Court, this will be first 
described. 
The contents of the West Court and its adjoining alcoves 
consist, to a great extent, of objects which are too large to be ar- 
ranged in any of the halls, and of the overflow of material from 
those halls. The collections are therefore of a somewhat mixed 
character. 
