Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-10

Picturesque Group
TroNAL NusEuH-sonErHINa NOVEL N TIE WAY
OF TAxIDRRNY-REAL BUFFALO GRASS, REAL NOM
TANA DIRT, AND REAL BUFFALoEs.
A little bit Of Montana-a small square patch
from the widest part Of the wild West-has been
transferred to the National Museum It is 30 little
that Montana will never miss II, but enough 70
enable one who has the faintest giimmer Of imasi-
nation to see It all for himself-the hummocky
prairie, the buffalo grass the sage brush, and the
buffalo. 1t Is a. though little group Of buffalo
That have come to drink at pool had been sud-
denly struck motionless by some magic SPELL each
In natural attitude, and then the section Of
prairie pool, buffalo, and all had been carefully
this Is In huge glass case the largest ever made
Tor the Museum This case and the space about It,
at the south end OF the south hall, has been en-.
taxidermist and his assistants have been at work.
The finishing touches were put on to-day, and the
Sass !. w ns Gs%ossd
mist's art. The group with its accessories has
been prepared SO as TO tell In attractive way to
buffalo. but care has been taken at the same time
to secure an accuracy OF detail that will satisfy
the critical scrutiny OF the most technical nat
uralist
THE ACCESSORIES
hole such as are found on the great northern
range Of bison, and are resorted to for water by
Wild animals in the fall when the small streams
are dry. The pool is 10 depression In the dry bed
o. q cousee or small creek; A little mound that
away by the water, leaving q crumbling bank,
which shows the strata OF the earth, very thin
layer Of vegetable SOIL beneath q stratum OF gray
trude fossil bone or two. The Whole bank shows
the marks OF erosion BY water. Near by the pool
q small section OF the bank has fallen. A buffalo
trail passes by the pool In front. This Is narrow
path, well beaten down, depressed, and bare of
grass Such paths were made by herds OF bison
an over tner pasture region as they Travelled down
water courses, In single flle searching Tor water.
In the grass some distance from the pool lie the
bleaching skulls Of two buffalo who have fallen
TO get SLOT at the animals as they come to
drink. Such relics, strewn all over the plains tell
the story Of the determination Of the American
grow the low buffalo grass, TUFTS OF tall bunch
grass ana sage brush and species OF prickly pear.
ne 2ooi Is clear ana tranquil About It's edges
cessories OF the buffalo group, but they have an
interest almost equal to That OF the buffalo them
selves SCI Tor they form really and literally genuine
far from his wild haunts, can here gaze upon his
native sod again. For the sod the earth that
forms the face OF the bank the sage brush and ali
were brought from Montana-ail except the pooL
The pool Is CLASSY delusion, and very perfect in
It's way One sees plant growing beneath the
are the deep prints made by the rorefeet Of a Biz
buffalo bull About the soft, moist earth around
the pool and In the buffalo trail the foot-tracks
OF the bunalo that have tramped around the pool,
some OF those nearest the edge having filled with
water.
THE SIX BUFFALoEs.
The group comprises six buTaloes The front of
the pool, as If just going to drink, is the huge
buffalo bull, the giant Of his race, the last one
that was secured by the Smithsonian party in
1887 and the one that Is believed to be the largest
specimen OF which there is authentic record. Near
Sy is a COW eight years old, creature that would
company than that of the big bull Near the COW
Is sucking calf, four months old Upon the top
OF the mound is a spike" BUN, two and half
years Old; descending the mound away from the
pool Is young COW OF three years old on one side,
ana on the other male calf year and a half
oia All the members OF the group are disposed in
COW are turning their heads in the same
thing approaching: the Others, having slaIed
their thirst, appear to be moving contentedly
away. The four-months- old calf was captured
days In the Smithsonian grounds but pinned for its
prairie nome, and finally died. 1t Is around the
great bull that the romance and main interest OF
the group centers. The popular features OF the
story OF the hunt for bison or buffalo in Montana
In 1856 and 1887 have been told by the hunter,
MT. ": T. Hornaday himself. in the columns OF
TIT STAR In that hunt twenty-five bison were
shot. The bison had then become so rare as to
be almost curiosity in Montana, although but
over the plains The work OF slaughter had gone
on with such expedition that almost before natu-
ralists were aware OF 1t 1t became exceedingly
doubtful whether satisfactory series OF specimens
Tor study and for general museum purposes
could be secured. So the Smithsonian hunt was
organized I ~ and went out, Mr. hornaday being the
beyond expectation. The ve.y last that was snOt
was this monster bull, that fell to Mr. Hornaday's
own rifle. 1t seemed as II Providence had ordained
that this splendid ANIMAL perfect in limb noble in
size, should be saved To Serve as a monument 10
the greatness OF his race, that once roamed the
prairies In myrlads. Bullets found IN his body
showed that he had been chased and hunted be-
fore, but fate preserved him for the immortality OF
a museum exhibit. His vertical height at the
shoulders Is five feet eight inches. The thick hair
adds enough to his height u make 1t full six feet
The length OF his head and body Is nine feet TWO
inches, his girth eight feet -FOUR inches, and his
weight is, or was, about sixteen hundred pounds.
THE TAxIDERMIsT's OBJECT LESSONS.
This group with its accessories Is, in point OF
size, about the biggest thing ever attempted by a
taxidermist. 1t Was mounted by Mr.. Hornaday,
assisted by Messrs. j. Palmer and A. II. Forney.
1t represents a new departure In mounting speci-
mens for museums. Generally such secimens
have been mounted singly upon q Fat surface.
The American mammals, collected by MIR. Horna-
day, Will be mounted In manner that Will make
each piece or group an object lesson telling some
thing OF Lne history and the habits OF the animal
The llrst group produced as one OF the results OF
the Montana nunt comprised three coyotes Two
OF them are struggling. and one might almost say,
snarling. over q bone. They Go not stand on a
painted board, but ON little patch OF soil. Two
other groups, designed by Mr.. HOrnaday, and exc
cuted oy Mr. VIM. Palmer are about TO be placed
IN the Museum. One or tn sc represent family
OF prairie dogs. They are disposed about prairie
dog mound One sits on its launches eating.
Others are running about Across the mouth or
the Just readyto disappear into 1t is another
one, startled for the moment by the sudden ap-
pearance OF little burrow Owl that has alighted
on one side OF the burrOw. The owl and the dog
are good friends and 1--we together In the same
burrOw, but there appears TO be strained relations
between the two for The moment.
Another group, and still more elaborate, COM
priseS several Opossums. they are placed In va
rious attitudes about the roots ana trunk OF
tree. The burrow In which the OpOssum has his
nest passes under one arching root or the tree and
around the base. The rear gives q sectional view,
showing the burrOw and the nest in which an
opOssum is cured up asleep Two OF the opossums
are climbing or ''swarming" up the trunk OF the
tree A female with young Is on the ground. One
little OpOssum is peering out OF the pouch In which
the mother carries its young. Others are scram-
bling over their mother. The moss, the soil, the
stones, a poison Ivy vine entwining the tree, and
other accessories are perfect. THIS group Is in
tended TO show not only what an OpOSSum Is, but
also something OF its HABITS.
Saturday Smiles.
Why is it that every church choir has its gig
gler?-BOsfon Gazette.
Itr as dGU~a-ou to interfere between q philan-
thropis - G' philanthropy as between dog
A..x<. l.