The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-02
Geological Garden. in III. Park.

Geological Gardens In tho Park.
The HERALD presented yesterday, in con-
nection with interesting statistics relative 10
the Park improvements OF tho past year, de-
tailed account Of the plan proposed by the
Park Commissioners for geological gardens
and museums which shall surpass anything Of
the kind in London, Paris, Antwerp Amster-
dam and other European cities Efforts will
be made to insure the superiority Of the col
lection, not only in the number and variety of
living or properly preserved specimens of the
animal kingdom throughout the world, but in
numerous other important particulars. In the
first place, these specimens will be Classified
and arranged, as the learned DR.. Huxley
would advise, according to what Is termed
the typical principle" SO that the public may
learn something Of them instead of being. as
at present in almost every European collection,
merely confused by their multiplicity. DR..
Huxley cites, for example, the grand ornitho-
logical gallery at the British Museum, which
contains between two and three thousand
species Of birds, and sometimes FIVE or six
specimens of species He adds, "TheY are
very pretty to look at, and some of the cases
are, indeed, splendid; but will undertake to
say that no man but professed ornithologist
ever gathered much information from the
collection" It will be the first aim, in
every department OF the Park collection, 10
remedy this defect which seriously impairs
the value of almost every European collection
as an instrument OF scientific education. In
the next place, greater attention than ever will
be paid 10 the natural waits and habits Of
every living creature which is to be domiciled
at the Park. No pains will be spared to pre-
vent the great mortality which is usual in
such collection, and the frequent loss of the
reproductive powers Of beast, bird or reptile,
by providing "food convenient for them," by
graduating the atmosphere to that of their
respective climates, and by surrounding them,
as far as is possible with the flowers, trees and
other objects with which they were familiar in
their native wilds. A double purpose will
thus be subserved--they will be benefited, and
the mind Of the spectator will be greatly aided
by what Isaac Taylor used to call "the actual
juxtaposition Of things and their local con-
comitance," in studying natural history in lis
several branches on the principle Of bring NC
together things which really meet the travel
lel's eye in the same scenes. The most vivid
impressions may thus be obtained, and both
the flora and the fauna of any particular
rsgion may be studied to advantage. Arrange
ments have been made to secure in every part
Of the globe additions to the number of about
. thousand animals, which already form the
nucleus of grand collection at the Park.
We should have at the Park not only the best
general geological collection in the world,
at the Surrey Gardens, and giraffes and rattle
snakes more rare than those at the gardens in
The Regents Park; but especially we should
have unique and complete collection OF
specimens from the vast geological provinces
of North and South America. The United
ranging from the fur bearing animals Of frozen
Walrussia to humming birds and butterflies
almost as tropically brilliant as those OF the
Isthmus of Panama, might occupy the entire
space allotted TO the new gardens and museums.
We should have there representatives Of all
those varieties--the musk OK, polar bear and
reindeer, the grizzly bear and The big horned
sheep Of the Rocky Mountains, the buffalo OF
the prair.es, the horned frog. Of Alabama,
the rattlesnakc and the almost my thical hoop
snake of Virginia-in dne, specimens Of every
kind Of quadluped and creeping thing in the
Trc;ta1 Stosa, tc0a4hor 9Th % -. ell -
birds than Audubon ever painted, and aquaria
full Of more fish than Agassiz ever saw. In
view Of the provcrbial deslructiveness of our
Western pioneers, particular care should be
taken to secure specimens Of certain species
that are in danger Of becoming extinct All
species should be duly represented in this
geological congress We would refuse ad-
mission only to the New Jersey mosquitoes and
to any duplicate of that notorious monde
script alleged to have been captured by FIRE.
mont and twenty bold dragons, and which
proved to be pars camel, part horse, part alli-
gator, and wholly
The regions west Of the Mississippi and
south Of tho Ohio will contribute their full
share to such o national geological collection
as should excite national interest. Our
tourists, hunters, trappers, and particularly all
Official explorers, should vie with each other
in sending contributions to it American
travellers In foreign countries should "do like
WISE" And our citizens generally might well
make generous donations in furtherance Of the
libcrality with which our State Legislature and
our city Common Council have initiated this
magnificent scheme. Successfully carried out,
twill promote science as well Us delight the
public.
Winter.
With slight struggle to get up . snow