Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-01-09
MUSEUM MAKING.
A Curious and Profitable Busines4
Carried on by n Few skilled Men.

A Curious and Profitable Businest
Carried on by Few Skilled Men.
From the New York SUM-
Museum-making is a curious and profit
able business carried on by a few skilled
n'en in this country, and by more in Eu-
rope. One OF the best-known museum
makers OF the United States has his place
of business in an interior city of this state
His speciality is objects illustrating ma
tural history He has sold some valuable
specimens to the Museum Of Natural His
tory in this city, and is constantly on the
lookout for rare objects in natural history
He 1t was that mounted the only museum
specimens of the sub-tropical seal found on
certain obscure islands in Spanish-Ameri-
can waters.
The numbef OF really noteworthy mu-
seums OF natural history in this country is
small, and the notable groups of finely
mounted animals are known to all the mu-
seums. n weli-mounted dead animal Is
worth a considerable portion of the value
OF the same creature alive, and some
groups, when done with care. skill and
knowledge, are even more valuable than
the 1--we animals represented in the group
would be. There is only one museum On
lne country that Is In any way serious
rival TO the Museum of Natural History In
TINS city. The moose group and the buff
falo group, the latest important additions
TO the Museum of Natural History in that
he
best of the kind In the world.
Old-established museums are constantly
buying oil the museum-makcrs, though ths
large museums have skilled taxIderrnists
OF their own employed in mounting new
specimens. The colleges are among the
best customers of the n Iseum-nakers and
newly founded rich university OCCASION
ally gives an order for a brand-new mu-
scum of natural history. The museum
makers, having the possibility of such or
GERS In view. are always on the lookout
ior rare or fine specimens. Among the
most difncut specimens to obtain is the
bison, or American buffalo. Wherever one
OF these creatures dies in captivity the
carcass Is easily salable to the museum
makers. Lions and tigers that die I'm me-
hageries are usually sold to the museum
makers. All valuable animals that die AT
the Central Park Zoo are sent to the Mn
scum OF Natural History to be mounted
lhere rs constant correspondence
among museums with view to the ex-
chahSe OF duplicates. but the value of spec
linens from different museums varies great
~ because the skill of the official taxi
dermists employed varies. The demand
Tor well-mounted specimens has resulted
IN a great advance in the art of taxidermy.
The Improvement in the last twenty wears
mas been very marked, and a few Ameri-
an tdAiuernlsts now rank with the most
skilled men Of their trade in Europe
Notwithsta nding the fact that The yraa,
museums OF the country are conducted not
Tor profit but for the advancement Of
science. there is a curious jealousy among
them Each museum Is proud of IT'S hest
groups ana fearful lest a rival shall obtain
better ones. There is a rule of the Museum
OF Natural History against the carryine Of
cameras into the building although visit
ors are permitted to sketch specimens.
man who sought to obtain pictures and
other materials for an illustrated article
on the museum found himself sineularly
Dafned at every step of his atternpt The
taNidermist professed himself reody -
give the desired information IL some one In
authority would say that he might do So
me necessary authorization was obtained
OUT the taxidermist then drew back and
saio the permission or order must come
iron some higher authority Meanwbile
permission could not be obtained to nhoto-
graph specimens I'm the museum. The on
SiaI VINO nad courteously denied to the an
piicant TINS privilege when pressed for a
reason finally said that II accurat e pictnres
OF the groups were published the grouns
might be Initiated by other museums ana
the applicant went away wondering whetb
er this jealousy could really be reconcile
with the scientific spirit