Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-08-28
UNCLE SANS BONES.
A WONDERFUL COLLECTION
OF SKELETONS.

the World Representation the
skeletons are Procured and Pre-
pared.
The entire cellar Of a building close
by the Smithsonian Institution is given
up to the storage of skeletons in the
rough Hundreds of big drawers in huge
cabinets are filled with the bony parts Of
birds and small mammals. One drawer,
for instance, will be stuffed with skele-
tons of parrots, another with those OF
owls, another with those of cormorants
and frigate birds, and so on. Still
another drawer will contain the osseous
frame works of monkeys, wild cats,
foxes, &c. From the rafters overhead
and the water pipes that run across
between beams hang similar remains OF
larger creatures, such as alligators and
chimpanzees. Good-sized boxes are filed
with great snakes perfectly dried, among
them boa constructors fifteen feet or more
in length. A little room shut off is
cluttered with the skulls of buffaloes,
and long tables and shelves are covered
with jars of alcohol, in which are the
bodies of birds and little animals, most
conveniently kept in that way. 1t is a
gruesome place altogether.
When the National Museum experts are
ready TO prepare skeleton for mounting,
supposing that it is that of small
creature, they simply let it soak in water
for a while and then scrape the bones,
which are subsequently bleached in the
sun. Nothing more need be done prep
aratory to putting them together with
wires. But in the case of big animal
the process is much more elaborate.
Suppose that it is a giraffe sent in the
rough from Africa. The hunter who
shot it has taken off all the flesh he con-
veniently could, and has packed the re-
mainder of the dried beast as compactly
as possible, poisoning it with arsenic or
arsenical soap.
So effective is arsenic In this way that
the snakes sent in, even very big ones, are
simply killed and dried whole, with an
arsenic application for delivery. The
first thing necessary is to put the skeleton
of the giraffe in a vat of water and
permit it to stay there for days until
what remains of the flesh is entirely
rotted. 1t is then taken out and, after
being stepped for while in hot washing
soda, is scrubbed with brushes. Next il /
is put into a weak solution of chloride of |
lime, which bleaches and deodorizes the /
bones After this they are spread out in 4
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 |
knowledge Of astrological
science. The expert in this branch of
will have no difficulty in poking
among a barrelful of bones, including
the osseous remains of one hundred ami
mails, and reconstructing every one of
them without a single hesitation.
Such is the way in which the National
Museum prepares its skeletons, and its
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 deluge it has no
originals; but they are represented by
luch perfect representations in plaster
hat you would never know the differ
,nce. One of these is that mighty mon
tier the megatherium-an enormous crea-
.ure resembling the modern sloth in
structure and indeed of the same family,
which was seventeen feet long and lived
ipon the foliage Of trees. II got its food
~ digging up the roots of the trees with
IS tremendous fore claws and pulling
hem over One skull of this beast has
,een found under conditions which show
hat it must have met its death by pulling
Town particularly big tree, which frac-
ured its Uranium. 1t had short legs and
long tail, and was presumably harmless,
hough its bones were very much heavier
han those of any elephant or even than
hose of the giant elephants of ancient
ines, the mammoth and the mastodon.
he original skeleton was found in South
america and is now in the British Mus
um. Casts were made of all its bones in I
.ondon and fac-simile was given to the
luseum here.
OF the other very remarkable antedi-
lvian monster referred to the original
Seleton was dug up in Wyoming terri
Dry few years ago and is now at Yale
ollege 1t is the dinoceros, a gigantic
east resembling something between the
linoceros and the hippopotamus. Much
Iller than the hippopotamus, it had no
IS than five enormous curved horns.
ale College gave reproduction of the
leleton in plaster at the National Mus .
am. Another wonderful skeleton in the
useum is that of the hadrosaurus,
hich was restored" some years ago
ON few parts that had been found.
ONE imagination had to be exercised in
hiding it up, owing to lack of material, !
Id some Of the missing por sons since
REQUIRED have proved that the restoration
as largely incorrect. Every one knows
lat the hadrosaurus was lizard as big
the megatherium. 1t had no teeth
Iitable for flesh, and so, when it could ,
1t get bread, it fed exclusively upon
srbage. Another interesting restora-
on, correctly made, is that of a turtle
ne feet in length.
Among the interesting skeletons al
ady cleaned and soon to be mounted'in
e museum are those of the very last sea
ephants, supposed to have survived the
lughter by hunters who pursued them