St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-12-17

There are MANY attractive spec1-
mems of woods grown in the Western
states. including mammoth piece
of bark measuring 15x22x24 inches)
from one of the big trees in Cali
| fornia. There are nuts and berries
! from South America, Italy, China,
Asia Minor and Egypt.
There are horns, tusks and skulls
of the elephant, the hippopotamus,
walrus, alligator, etc. There are
also quite a number Of specimens of
| the lower forms of animal life, in
Guiding sponges, sea fans and whips.
The collection of coral is hand
some one, and comprises many speci-
mems in varying shapes and colors.
There are shells from all oceans
and all parts Of the globe-from the
Pacific ocean, the Mediterranean,
the Red Sea, from Florida and the
| West Indies-of all sizes and shapes,
some of them very delicately
wrought, many of them exceedingly
handsome in color; the whole is a
typical collection for consideration
by students, and will prove very en-
pertaining and instructive to them.
There is a grim collection of war
relics-from battlefield, from prison
pen and other localities where the
dogs of war have been allowed to
work havoc. Among these may be
noted bracelet of beef bones,
wrought by an officer while in Libby
prison.
On the posts around the interior of
the Museum building will be seen OK
horns from Texas, Africa and Sicily;
and pair of locked horns found in
Virginia, reminders of fight to the
death on the part of two deer.
MINERALOGY.
This department is very full and
contains many rare specimens.
Gold, silver, copper, iron, sulphur
and plumbago may be seen here,
from all parts of this country. There
is quick silver ore from Bavaria and
California; salt from the Dead Sea,
from San Domingo and from Salt
Lake. fine lot of quartz crystals
from different localities. There is
curious and very interesting specimen
of agatized wood from Arizona, a
land especially Astounding in mineral
wealth. There are agates from South
America and Europe, and consider
able quantity of asbestos. There are
beryls from New Hampshire, calcite
CRYSTALS and marble from portions of
this country and Italy, fine specimens
of malachite and azurite, stalactites
from Colorado and the Luray cavern,
many stones from historic places,
fossils from the phosphate beds of
Florida and South Carolina, and a
host of other interesting things in
mineralogy which will chain the at
tention of the loOker-on.
MAMMALS.
In large cases at each end of the
hall are choice collections of mann
mails, comprising many rare species
that have been found in Vermont, as
we'll as curious animals from all
parts of the globe. In this list is the
silver gray fox from Northern Alaska,
seals from Nova Scotia, ant bear
from South Africa, very rare Speci-
men and which is found in only
three other museums in this country
A Florida alligator twelve feet long
occupies a place near the gaviel, a
species of crocodile from India.
by two kangaroos, pOrcupine, an
opossum and an Australian bear.
Two specimens of the curious and
rare duck-bill platypus cannot fail
to attract attention. The native
specimens include a fisher caught in
Danville, an animal that is now al
most extinct; an otter from Water
ford, and a rare species of flying
squirrel shot by F. A. Balch in
Lunenburg. The Albino specimens,
those unaccOuntab BILE freaks of nature,
include porcupine, woodchuck and
rats. Among the smaller animals
are black woodchuck, wildcat, fly
ing squirrels, foxes, rabbits, weasels,
raccoons, moles and jumping mice.
BIRDS
The collection of birds comprises
what has always been considered
one of the finest, if not the finest,
private collections in America. Be
sides quite complete display of
North American birds, there are
many rare and beautiful specimens
from all parts of the world The
east side of the main room is devOt-
ed entirely to the exhibit of the
North American birds, including
nearly all the varieties that are found
in New England. The rare specimens
comprise the American goshawk, the
black vulture, the only specimen ever
killed in this state; gerfalcon, two
of the little auks and a razor-bill
aux, an ivory-bill woodpecker from
Florida Ca bird almost extinct), a
bronze crow, and several Albinos.
The collection of o wis is very complete
and includes the rare great gray owl,
two monkey-faced owls from Florida
the beautiful snowy owl, and all the
common varieties of this family.
The water birds are well represented
and there are beautiful specimens OF
ducks, looms, herOnS, cranes, gulls