Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-26

cation for delivery. The first thing necessary
is to put the skeleton of the giraffe in vat OF
water and permit il to stay there for days until
whatremains of the flesh il entirely rotted. 1t is
then taken out and. after being STEPPED for
while in hot washing soda, is scrubbed with
brushes. Next it is put into weak solution OF
chloride Of lime, which bleaches and deodor-
ICES the bones. After this they are spread out
in the sun to whiten and this final operation
makes them ready for putting together with
the wires. To do this properly requires great
mechanical skill and more particularly knowl-
edge of astrological science. The expert in
this branch of learning will have no difficulty
in poking among barrelful Of bones, includ-
ing the osseous remains Of one hundred ami
mails. and reconstructing every one Of them
without a single hesitation.
The MEGArHERIUM.
Such is the way in which the National Mu-
scum prepares its skeletons, and its collection
of them is one of the finest in the world. OF
what are, perhaps, the two most remarkable
mammals known to have existed before the de-
LUCE 1t has no originals; but they are
represented by such perfect representa-
tions IN plaster that you would never
know the difference One of these ia that
mighty monstGr the megatherium-an enor-
nous creature resembling the modern sloth in
structure and indeed of the same family, which
was seventeen feet long and lived upon the
foliage of trees. 1t got its food by digging up
tuc fOOts VI tIt trees with It's tremendous lore
claws and pulling them over. One skull
OF this beast has been found under
conditions which show that it must have met
its death by pulling down a particularly big
tree, which fractured its Uranium. 1t had short
legs and long tail, and was presumably harm
less, though its bones we're very much heavier
than those of any elephant or even than those
OF the giant elephants OF ancient times, the
mammoth and the mastodon. The original skele-
ton was found in South America and is now in
the British Museum. Casts were made of all
Its bones IN London and FAC smile was given
to the museum here.
THE DINocEIos.
OF the other very remarkable antediluvian
monster referred to the original skeleton was
dug up in Wyoming territory few years ago
and is now at Yale College, tits the dinoceros,
gigantic beast resembling something between
the rhinoceros and the hippopotamus. Much
taller than the hippopotamus, it had no less
than five enormous curved horns. Yale Col
lege gave a reproduction Of the skeleton in
plaster to the National Museum. Another won
derful skeleton in the museum is that of the
hadrosauIus, which was restored some years
ago from a few parts that had been found.
Some imagination had to be exercised in build
ing it up, owing to lack of material. and some
OF the missing portions since procured have
proved that the restoration was largely incor-
rect. Every one knows that the hadrosaurus
was a lizard as big the mcgatherium. 1t
had no teeth suitable for flesh. and so, when it
could not get bread, it fed exclusively upon
heritage. Another interesting restoration cor
rectlv made, is that Of a turtle nine feet in
length.