New-York tribune., 1906-12-27
MODEL NEARLY READY.
Putting Finishing Touches on
Replica of Big Whale.

r. c. Andrews, an assistant to Dr. Hermann
c. BUmpus. director OF the Museum Of Natural
History in West 18th street. Is putting the an
tshing touches on the model OF q sulphur bot
TOM whale which is replica OF one killed OF
Balena. Newfoundland. about year ESQ
The model under construction In the east
wing gallery OF the Mammal Hall "a made OF
steel. wood and papier nnacha Mr.. Andrews
and ten men OF the Museum stair have been az
work on 1t since last September and they ex-
pect TO finish 1t early next month The model
is being made from measurements taken OF ths
original by Dr. Frederick a. Lucas, director Of
the Brooklyn Museum OF Natural History. and
DR.. T. S. Palmer. Of the National Museum.
Washington. DR.. Lucas. who is experimenting
the construction OF the model went to New
foundland with DR.. Palmer. and together they
took over a hundred measurements OF the whale.
They also made plaster cast Of one side Of the
monster. which was one OF the largest specimens
ever seen. being seventy-six feet long. Scisn-
lists say eighty feet IS the maximum, though
there Is said 70 be a record OF one that was
eighty-six feet long.
From the measurements. casts and photo
graphs a plaster model four feet IN length was
prepared. The first part Of the model to be
made was the backbone. which was made OF
angle irons bolted together IN sections.
series OF steel ribs then bolted 20 each side
OF the backbone. This steel framework was then
raised by means OF block and tackle and sus-
pended from the beams OF the ceiling by piano
wires.
Ribs OF wood were then put IN and fastened
by bolts to the steel frame. the outer edges Of
these wooden ribs being carefully planed down
to conform exactly with the model These ribs
were then covered with long strips OF Eastwood
two inches wide and three-sixteenths OF an inch
thick The last step viii be the application Of
the papier mache covering. and the fins. also Of
papier mache.
At present the whale looks Ike nothing so
much as a submarine boat and II IS constantly
mistaken for the latter by visitors to the Mu-
scum Mr.. Andrews has been so pestered BY
questions as to why he IS building submarine
that he has decided 20 close 10 visitors the ga!@
lery where the model is being constructed unui
II Is completed. and every one can see for him
self that II Is a whale and not boat.
The original whale weighed sixty tons. but
the model weighs only a ton and a half II has
been so constructed that II can be sawed INTO
eight sections and set up in some other place IoF
exhibition II desired
Whales OF the species represented by TINS
model live chiefly on mOlluSls which they seils
I'm large mOuthfuls. straining the water throusn
the whalebOne in their Jaws. The present mooei
has been made with the mouth closed. but NJ.
Andrews IS going TO construct humpoacs
whale sixty feet long with its mouth open
showing the whaIebOne sieve. Plaster modes
OF the humpback have already been prepared
from photographs and measurements secureo
from original specimens by the Museum author
tiles. and its construction viii begin as soon AZ
the sulphur bottom" Is completed.
Mr.. Andrews explained that the name su
phur bottom Is derived from the yeuowSn
color Of the underbody Of the whale. and ros
from any affinity for sulphur.