repared
to represent the true environments of the creatures at the appropriate
seasons. The particular birds and animals exhibited are the
willow-grouse, the weasel, and a large species of hare. All of these,
in their summer garb, have a brown color, which harmonizes marvellously
with their surroundings, while in winter they are pure white, to match
the snow that for some months covers the ground in their habitat.

The other cases of this interesting exhibit show a large variety of
birds and animals under conditions of somewhat abnormal variation, in
the one case of albinism and the other of melanism. These cases are,
for the casual visitor, perhaps the most striking of all, although, of
course, they teach no such comprehensive lessons as the other exhibits
just referred to.

The second of the novel exhibits of the museum to which I wish to refer
is to be found in a series of alcoves close beside the central cases in
the main hallway.

Each of these alcoves is devoted to a class of animals--one to mammals,
one to birds, one to fishes, and so on. In each case very beautiful sets
of specimens have been prepared, illustrating the anatomy and physiology
of the group of animals in question. Here one may see, for example, in
the alcove devoted to birds, specimens showing not only details of
the skeleton and muscular system, but the more striking examples of
variation of form of such members as the bill, legs, wings, and tails.
Here are preparations also illustrating, very strikingly, the vocal
apparatus of birds. Here, again, are finely prepared wings, in which
the various sets of feathers have been outlined with different-colored
pigments, so that the student can name them at a glance. In fact, every
essential feature of the anatomy of the bird may be studied here as in
no other collection that I know of. And the same is true of each of the
other grand divisions of the animal kingdom. This exhibit alone gives an
opportunity for the student of natural history that is invaluable. It is
quite clear to any one who has seen it that every natural history museum
must prepare a similar educational exhibit before it can claim to do
full justice to its patrons.

A third feature that cannot be overlooked is shown in the numerous cases
of stuffed birds, in which the specimens are exhibited, not merely
by themselves on conventional perches, but amid natural surroundings,
usually associated with their nests and eggs or young. These ex