The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-18
WILD ANIMALS STUFFED
SCIENCE Il INTERESTED AND PUTS
THEN N MUSEUMS.
Harvard Collection Recently Enriched
with Thousands of North Ameri-
can Mammals.


ton. there are probably quite as many
beasts now trapped for their pelts as in the
palmy days OF Daniel Boone or Davy
Crockett. Not only are the fur-bearing
creatures whose pelts are saleable for win
ter garments. still being captured in great
numbers; but in addition 10 the man who
traps for the fur trade there is now the
museum collector who goes out after every
four-legged animal that wears a skin This
very modern trapper systematically
catches. il possible, from a dozen to twenty
examples of every variety or animal in a
given district and traps over the same dis
trict often enough 10 secure each animal
under the varying conditions of the four
seasons. All these animals however, are
so many sacrifices to science. and their
pelts and skulls go 10 various museums in
this country and Europe. thus constituting,
in every important museum. d larger or
smaller book of reference for students of
mammalogy. Such collections are practi-
cally the growth of only the last fifteen
years, beginning when Dr.. G. Hart Merri-
am, sometimes called the father Of Amer
lean mammaloRy." started the great gov
eminent collection at Washington, which
Is by far the most important in this coun-
try. Since then others have been gathered
at various scientific centers. the latest of
which, and one of the most important. be-
ing the sO-called Bangs collection includ-
ing thousands and thousands of North
American mammals, which has been re-
Gently added to the Museum Of Compare
tive Zoology at Harvard
NOT ON EXHIBITION
The casual visitor TO Harvard, however.
sees nothing of this army of specimens.
They have their own part of the museum
quite 10 themselves and are shut UP her
metically in dark cases where neither sun
can fade them nor moths demolish, for
their main purpose is to perpetuate an ex-
act record for the future of the living wild
animals of the present time. so that they
leave their cases only when it is necessary
10 take them out for scientific examina-
ton. The cases themselves vary in size
from the comparatively small ones neces-
sary to house several rows of nearly al
lied members Of the rodent family, for in
stance-each lying on its stomach with its
little front paws extending straight in
front. its little hind paws straight behind.
and its long little tail straight out between
them-to the bigger cases that hold foxes,
wolves or even moose. all similarly
stretched out as to legs and tail Other
rows Of cases contain the thousands of
skulls that go with the pets, each skull
numbered 10 correspond with the skin to
which il belongs. And from these materials,
even though the animal to which they be-
longed had been the very last of his kind,
science could very easily and convincingly
infer his habits and reconstruct his general
appearance.
Unlike the trapper OF the old frontier
period. the man who goes out to trap for a
museum has TO be something of a taxider-
mist. The old frontiersman could skin an
animal. as does his successor. but it is
doubtful if many of them would have been
willing 10 prepare them for market so neat
~ as the modern collector. Nor did the
earlier trapper have 10 carry so large an
outfit. for the necessity of catching every
kind OF an animal, big and little. makes it
imperative 10 have several corresponding
varieties of traps There are the moles, for
example. which belong TO the ''insectivora,"
and for whose temptation it is hardly prac-
ticable to bait trap with small insects; in
their case the trap is placed where they
may spring it in passing along their under
ground burrows. And in catching many of
the smaller animals it is necessary for the
trapper 10 get up in the morning before
daylight IN order to save the pelts from
being devoured OF these traps small wire
ones for the smaller. and big steel contriv-
ances for the larger animals, enough have
TO be taken on an expedition TO cover all
possible emergencies, so that the collector
must usually have a camp follower along
with him 10 take care of the luggage and
attend 10 various other Incidental duties.
But the modern trapper himself is none the
less an expert wOOdsman, and a practical
taxidermist and good deal of a scientist
60 boot.
STUDYING THE ANIMAL.
When an animal is captured it is imme-
diately measured for its length over ALL
the length of the paws and tail and the
height of its ears. The tail itself is a very
Informative member. for il suggests at
once. although il does not always tell def
nitely whether the animal has lived in a
forest or "A plain or in a mixed country.
part woods. part plain. Forest-bred ami
mails are likely 10 have longer tails than
those that live in the open. Of which fact a
not very scientific example. which never
taeless serves to show the difference. is the
rabbit. Animals whose habitat is a country
Bordering on a forest have tails betwixt
and between, like B'rer Fox. But many
Iong-tailed animals live in the open, such
as the graceful little kangaroo rat. whose
tail helps him on his long jumps. From a
scientific point of view. however. these
differences are more interesting when they
ocQur i'm animals of the same genus occupy
IL 1 widely separated places and having
dissimilarities due TO the slow but sure ac-
tion of their different environments. The
forest mouse, for example. uses his tail
somewhat in climbing. but the tail grows
shorter when for many generations he has
lived where there are no trees or bushes
Sometimes. indeed. a moose is caught that
has no tail at all. but that is more his own
accident and not so much part OF natures
regular evolution OF new varieties.
When the trapper has taken the first
measurements ne proceeds TO skin his ami
nal. the pelt Is then stuffed with cotton
until the creature is again its natural size.
and fine wire is inserted in the paws and
tail 10 keep them from breaking: finally
the specimen Is stretched on a board until
thoroughly dry. each paw being fastened
with pin so that every skin shall have
uniform museum shape and be equally con-