15 
assistance of interested persons in all parts of the country is solicited. The 
constant changes in conditions due to development, spread of agriculture, 
and forest destruction are so rapid that much field work and correspond- 
ence are required to keep up to date. The specimens and information 
thus secured have been invaluable in the work of preparing bulletins and 
monographs in the past, and other similar works are under way. For 
such work large series of specimens of the different species are required for 
study. The general public, in many cases, have the idea that one or two 
specimens of each species are all that a museum need have : that is, a male 
and a female mounted for exhibition purposes. For scientific investiga- 
tions many more specimens are needed, of different ages, sexes, plumages, 
and pelages, taken in different seasons. In fact, many closely allied species 
are so superficially similar, that close study and comparison in the 
laboratory are necessary to determine the differences. In addition to this, 
series of specimens from different localities and provinces are necessary to 
delimit the ranges and habitats of the different forms. For such purposes 
“sight records” are not sufficient, and museum material is essential to sub- 
stantiate records if they are to be of any real scientific value. To build up 
a “ balanced” collection of both animals and plants of all kinds, and to 
have the major zoogeographical districts and life zones represented, have 
been two of our main problems. 
Although some districts of the Dominion have been fairly well covered 
by our field parties in the past, other vast regions are terrce incognita? in 
respect to their animal and plant life, except by inference and deduction. 
The Museum is lacking in an adequate representation of many species and 
races of the important fur-bearers of Canada, and has been unable to 
purchase many specimens of these on account of the high prices which have 
prevailed for some time. Some local races have approached close to 
extinction without any adequate representation being preserved for poster- 
ity. Although the mammal collection of the National Museum of Canada 
at present runs up to 8,855 numbers, including skins, skulls, and skeletons 
(skin and skull of the same specimen being catalogued under one number), 
there are, for example, nine geographic races, and at least two distinct 
species of the pine marten described from Canada and Newfoundland, of 
which we have only four represented in the National collection, and partly 
by very indifferent specimens — hunters’ skins, or fragmentary skulls, 
bones, etc. In contrast with this, a European zoologist who recently 
visited our Museum for the purpose of examining some of our specimens 
of fur-bearers, informed us that in the U. S. S. R. collection at Leningrad 
there are over 260 specimens of Russian sable, about the same number of 
the different races of Russian and Siberian marten, and other species in 
porportion — sufficient for adequate comparisons. The British Museum 
also is well supplied with specimens in many animal groups, largely due 
to the generosity of British travellers in different parts of the world. The 
National Museum of Canada has, it is true, received a few donations of 
valuable material, but our sportsmen and travellers have not been suffi- 
ciently educated as to the importance and needs of Canadian museums. 
A fine, attractively exhibited group of some of our noble game animals 
will form a memorial to the prowess, public spirit, and scientific interest 
of the donor, long after he has laid up his rifle for ever. 
Since January, 1927, little progress has been made in installation of 
biological exhibits of noteworthy importance in the museum halls, due to 
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