Birds 
The collection of mounted birds occupies Halls 25, 26, and 27 ; 
and Alcove 100, in the West Com-t, is devoted to birds’ eggs. 
Halls 25 and 26. 
GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY. 
In this hall are represented about 550 species illustrating 
the characteristics of about 100 families. They are arranged 
systematically, beginning with the degenerates, which have lost 
the power of flight, and the diving birds, and ending with the 
highly specialized passeres. 
Center Cases. 
Case A. — A group illustrating the peculiar domestic ar- 
rangements of the rhinoceros hombill during the breeding sea- 
son. 
Case B. — “A Surprised Mother,” representing a domestic 
hen as mother of a lot of ducklings that are represented as 
plimging into a basin of water. 
Case C. — A group showing the nesting site and a pair of 
prairie chickens. 
Case D. — A group of quail in various attitudes. 
Case E. — A group of the American eider duck. 
Case F. — A group of the American robin, showing the nest 
and eggs, and the parent birds much excited by the approach 
of a black snake. 
Case G. — A group representing a section of a pond with 
the shore line fringed with grass. A group of ducks are shown ; 
some stand on the shore, and others are swimming about near 
the edge of the pond, while in the backgroimd, half hidden by 
the grass, a Florida lynx is seen stealing upon the imsuspect- 
ing birds. Three species of ducks are shown in this group: 
The pintail, lesser scaup duck, and ring-necked duck. 
Case H. — A group composed of an adult African ostrich, 
a chick, and an egg. 
