The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-10-14
eaDs o asAgrY



ming Birt Rsadsrfai piunass.
Tnhnttpu siali
The eatalosge Of the Smithsonian In.
stitution and HE National museum CON
tainaroeord D 0tOO0 specimens which
have beenfe e'gediin the OFnithologell
, department. here are now on hand IA
the cases and lesta, In Whichare stored
away the ofnllhological wealth OF the
museum, . SpecimeuS Of course,
there arc man birds 6f tho samo spe,
eies. In addition tothe type specimens
preserved lor shiBition and study, q
duplicate collection Is maintained, and
besides that ere Il always on hand a
large stock Known as tbs reserve collcc-
tol, used ID llaklng exchanges, by
means Of Whiahth the museum Is enabled
to getrate nlfds from collections in
other codnrIes
Mr.. kotert idgway, tho ornitholo.
gist, Is nov en1iged III completing a du.
plieate COLLECTION Of North American
birds, witlthe view Of having always
on exhibition in the museum complete
collection lnihg cases In Mr.. Rldg.
ways gallsry aud wofk.room are S5,JJU
specimens he collection Of North
iAmefica ds which elkes lnoat Of
the space, 3 the-dnese of III kind Ia -ths
world. Next to II Is tho collection Of
south American birds, which iR rated
as the second best in the world. A
priEste collection belonging to- wealthy
gentleman in ngiand, who spent much
time aud money in perlecting it, and
recently presented it 70 the British mu.
scum, is considered as the finest collec.
ton OF South American birls Central
and South America are especiallyrich in
birds, as about one-third Of tho known
species Of birds in the world have their
habitat there. The department under
Mr. Ridgways caro- comprises, also, q
very full collection Of birds from tho
Old World.
These birds preserved for study and
Comparison arc slowed away IN 1at
cases. which in turn fit securely, one
over another, in tho rows OF drawers
Upon each drawer Is placed Il lid or top
Of glass, the slsh or edge OF which is
fitted with u tongue, which drops into a
groove in the edge Of the drawer, max.
ing perfect protection against tho in.
Yasion Of insects. The insects love to
get at a dead bird, Just as tho fablei
donkey took pleasure in kicking ut the
dead lion. The bird-hunter secures tho
skin Of the bird, preserves its head, plu.
mage and legs complete The profcs.
sional collector skins a bird very neatly,
so that it can ba mounted by the taxi.
dermist with very little trouble. When
the skin is received by the curator 1t is
filled out with little padding Of cotton
and placed away in It's proper case. A
complete record is keptOf each specimen
received.
II it is desired 10 mount the specimen
the dried skin is sent to tho room OF tho
taxidermist, Mr. Marshall. There it is
buried for two or three days in damp
sawdust, and when it Is resurrevted
the skin is soft and pliAblc. Tho un.
mounted specimens, however, with
proper caro- may be kept for years, and
are just rs valuable TO the scientist as
when they arc stuffed and postured by
the taxermidiSt Some Of tho speci.
mems Of North American birds in the
collection belonged to Audubon, and
were used By HIM in making illustra.
lions for his work on birds. Tho hum.
ming.birds form one OF the most attract.
i've parts Of tho collection to one who
looks at it from tho tsthetic stand.
point. There are 400 kinds OF hum.
ming-birds known. While they dider
widely in size and appearance, thay
bear q resemblance struCturally, aud
have similar habits, feeding upon honey
and insects.
The collection comprises nearly all
known kinds, from the giant humming
bird of Mexico, which boasts Of proper.
tions nearly rs great as those Of tho
robin TO tiny humming.hird Of ia.
maiCa, scarcely more than IN inch long,
There arG humming.birds with bills
longer than their bodies which they
use in extracting honey from deep.
Cuppel flowers, and humming.birds
with no more buak thsn an ordinary
wren. ;any Of tho different varieties
OF hummiug.birls are distinguished
only by the marking Of their feathers,
The colOrs arc rich aud gorgeous. Tho
crown, throat and breast are marked
with topas, gold and ruby, in the most
OK uisite shades. The colors seem
iridps emit
A peculiarity Of some of the birds
which Mr. iigway pointed ont 10 tho
reporter is that yol can only see one
color nj time When the throat or
breast 4 thrown lack at certain ANGLE
the rat color seen disappears and nm.
other comes to view The featbers have
sheen or gloss like FURNISHED void or
gems and In some cases aro so nearly
IL mons that the rolors become mora
pronounced in n dark mace than in tho
TWILIGHT In oyery variety where this
gloss or sheen eyists eyccpt one tbN
rloss tccomes visible only when iooking
at the bird from its front If tho TIA
was flyinp from one the colors would he
dull nnd lusterless