The sun., 1879-06-08
NATURAL uIsroRr WELL TAUGHT.
InestimabIe Treasures stored IN the Great
Museur- In Central Park.

EtW NOnuDuIdblNtly VI lnb JnOub&hnub Vi
men. women, and children who go to Central
Park for recreation know that outside the en-
closure there 10 possession OF the Central Park
property known as Manhattan square. and that
on 1t Is one Of the most interesting institutions
OF Manhattan Island. 1t IL the American Mu-
scum OF Natural History. known to those who
have any knowledge OF the subject as the new
museum In contradistincton from the arsenal
building in the Park, where the collections OF
specimens were formerly kept. prior to the
erection Of this new museum building on Man
haitian square. on tho west side Of the Park. be-
tween Seventy seventh and Seventy ninth
streets. Eighth and Ninth avenucs. No doubt
the muniAcent patrons. fellows in perpetuty,
associate and life fellows. and members
OF this institution who have contributed
each varously TO its establishment and founda-
ton from 800 to t19.500. will be inclined to
question this averment. But II they reflect that
even lvo hundred visitors n day lie but a small
proportion OF the numbers who flock TO tho
Park. thoy will admit that tho museum is COM
paratvely unknown TO New Workers..
This museum is not city or Central Park in
stitution or possession although until Decem-
Der. 1877. its specimens were deposited In the
arsenal building. and were consequently con-
sidered by the casual visitor a part OF the col
lection OF live animals and birds found in tho
mcnngeres adjoining the arsenal and as q part
Of the pussessions OF the museum are still in
the arsenal building. the thousands OF visitors
to that edifce and tho menagerie do not even
know OF the existence OF the new museum
II was only by accident that discovered the
existence OF this treasury Of natural history.
mnpW,hhiE t9 mere WIS i srnHq"6 end re- re-
upper chambers OF the arsenal. went there
one day Inst week to nnd them, After ascend.
ing TO the top OF tho building. was told that
the skeletons, along with all Of the most valua-
ble specimens oi the museum, had been re-
moved to the building on the west side OF tho
Park. To tho west side went and in the
midst Of n rough, wild uninhabitcd section
west OF Eighth avenue. certainly rs uninvting
new museum. the skeletons, and much more OF
interest; The approach TO the building is easy.
along u board pathway. but unshuded by sin-
gle tree or shrub The surface of the ground
around the museum is almost in n state of na-
ture, and that nature OF the most unattractive
kind.
mint OF money will be required to put Man
haitian square In shape for the Worlds Fair
edfice, which 1t is now proposed shall be
erected here. TO remain n possession forever Of
Central Park. and Tor the use OF the American
Once over the boards OF the walk and down
the staircase TO the lower hall Of the existing
building. the visitor begins to feel dawning
intimation OF the immeusity Of the work that s
rs yet only begun. Ii Is filled with glass cases
inclosing specimens OF stuffed animals from all
81 @S TSrS % ns n"Se SSa and fSs Sa
Is IL feet high, 40 feet long, and 60 feet wide.
| III is Wnlte, ana HOOreu Win yellow ana blhck
| tiles in mosaic patterns. Everything Is ex-
quisitely neat and clean. the glass Of the cases
glittcrlng from the polishing hand Of tidy keep
| ers OF the place. saw no attendants on this or
| the next story. Among the animals IN this nall
| are an immense Bactrian camel and moose
| from Nova Scotia. wapau from the Rocky
| Mountains. a monstrous grizzly bear. bison
| bulls and cows from America. Europe and Asia.
| tapirs from Malay and n remarkable colec-
| ton OF seals. embracing one singular black
| spotted and gray monster with hood on his
| head OF silky baI hair. He came alive from
Among the deer l discovered beautiful
| white doe from Virginia. and gazelle from
| lar antelope In the collection is from Liberia.
| Its long. prehensile upper lip in which the
| nostrs are seen almost concealed is CORFU
gated and drawn up In wrinkles across the
muzze and face almost to the eyes This pro-
| vision Of nature enables the creature to burrow
| beneath the snow for its food and also to bury
itself in the snow for warmth. and put its nos
| trlls above the surfaca Tor air.
The skeletons of animals and men, which
| used To be In u dark upper chamber OF tho old
arsenal building. are on the east side OF this
| hall. They embrace much larger list OF ami
frogs toads. bats. cranes. storks. ibises, skulls
| OF carnivorous animals. marsupials. lhmas
| monkeys. cats. fishes. turtles. dugongs. mana
| tees or sea cows wAlruses. &C.. a..
Ihe principal hall is IN ne next story r, The
are between ten and fifteen thousand Of these
| In every imaginable position. ltfelike and beau-
| tlfu beyond des s'ripton. There are no osirlches
but two South American cassowarics are there,
big enough 10 satisfy the lover OF sensuous size.
| In the case where the humming birds are kept
| are specimens 80 small that u feather from n
| cassowarie's rump could cover twenty or thirty
OF them. This cuse affords wondrnus study
| IN color On one tiny bird counted six distinct
| shades oi blue. red. aud green. and the mode
color Of the under feather made a seventh color.
| The names of these dazzling little wonders, too,
| are ~ significant rs they are pretty. They are
sun angels. star irOntets. Bongpnrte star 'front.'
lets nam"hearers, ruby and topaz sylphs, Boz
| gotta tralnbcarers, and similar designations.
| But no word nor description could eNpresS
| them, and any painter who should put them on
| canvas rs they really are would be cautioned by
| prudent master 10 beware lest ms painted
| fhcts like many or most facts. should bo too I'm
| probable 10 be credited.
| The third story, which Is in Tact only gallery
| above and around this second hall, contains the
| Sturgs collection ot implements. weapons. and
| utensils of tue Pacific and South Sea Islanders.
| lances bows and arrows. kava bowls and
models 81 canoes ia use among me lnhab tants
| Islands, New Zealand, and New Britain,
Strange garments, and fish and bird spears too
| Of the EsquimauN are found here, and models
| Of the Clff dwellings and villages OF Colorado
| and New Mexico. The celebrated DE Morgan
collection of stone implements rom the valley
| OF the Somme in France. is here close by the
side OF the relics from other pre-historic Dco-
Piles OF Europe and America Among the. last a
| c. Jones Jr.. OF Georgia, described and pic
tured in his Antiquities OF the Southern Indians;
h an RTa s2Gy o snd Hs
| Gus minerals These are under the charge OF
Prof Whitfield. the Cur9toT q Geology OF the
| Prof Hitchcock tho younger. engaged in study
or Investigation in front Of one OF the cases, but
| he willingly abandoned his work to conduct me
| through his department and explain the aims
| and objects of the institution. He led the way
| to the attic, whore there are large and com
| modious rooms for the use Of students from a
| distance not sleeping apartments, nut studies
| with libraries and implements to aid IN any in
| vestigation that the students may choose to
| pursue. Any specimens not found among the
| duplicates OF the specimens exhibited in the
| halls below can be obtained by these students
VtftF.a dor
| up 70 these study rooms for inspection and IN.
can thus obtain the use OF any specimen or
It's duplicate that s in the institution. and In
the silence and secuson OF those beautiful
apartments, with copiOus libraries at hand
embracing works on all natural sciences he can
study and investigate to his entire satisfaction
That ia II n student Of nature ever was satisfied
with research.
In the geological and archaeological depart
ment are the materials and specimens that
formed the working collections Of Prof James
| Hall, the State Paeontologist OF New York
| Prof, Whitfield assured me that II is the best
| collection of American fossils In the world
Among the specimens. he showed me u fossil
stone lily, the only perfect one from the slurla1
| formation he said. in the world. Fossil birds
skeletons are found in this hall. ten or tliteer
feet high. Great wingless creatures. with fiat
toned heart bones. and leg and thigh bones
larger and longer than those OF u man by sew
| eral inches,
In the hall OF the archaeological departmen
| ia the skeletOn of II gigantic elk found In