APPENDIX. 
NOTICE OF MRS. MAXWELL'S EXHIBIT OF 
COLORADO MAMMALS. 
PREPARED BY DR. ELLIOTT COUES, U. S. A. 
I had the pleasure of inspecting Mrs. Maxwell’s collection of 
the animals of Colorado, while the exhibit was in Washington 
during the winter of 1876-7. 
My repeated visits afforded me both pleasure and instruction. 
I was glad to see a collection of our native animals mounted in 
a manner far superior to ordinary museum work, and to know 
that there was at least one lady who could do such a thing, and 
who took pleasure in doing it. While the collection embraced 
several specimens of high scientific interest, I regarded it as one 
of the most valuable single collections I had seen — for beyond 
the scientific value which any collection of the animals of a 
locality may possess, it represented a means of popularizing 
Natural History, and making the subject attractive to the public ; 
this desirable object being attained by the artistic manner in 
which the specimens were mounted and grouped together. Faulty 
taxidermy has a great deal to do with creating misconceptions 
of nature in the public mind, and with rendering the study of 
Natural History unattractive. The best results may be hoped 
for when such skilful and faithful representation of nature, as 
these of Mrs. Maxwell’s, come to be recognized as a means of 
public instruction. 
With Mrs. Maxwell’s kind permission I made for my own 
benefit some notes on the species of mammals contained in the 
collection, and I take pleasure in furnishing a list of the speci- 
mens, which she is at liberty to use in any way she may see fit. 
My identifications of the species are supplemented by some 
remarks partly based upon my own observations in Colorado in 
1876, partly derived from my conversation with the intelligent 
and enthusiastic lady-naturalist herself. 
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