Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-10
"Hobbyists'' Who Study
Government Collections

Z to contemplate in whole OF in part In
plaster casts, stray bones. and other evil
dences which. thanks to modern In
| genuity and research. We have In these
days Of their sometime existence. This
gentleman Is thoroughly up In all lore
concerning the world before the dcluge,
| as he terms II. and to hear him describe
the planet at that remote period Is SUI
| fcent to give one material for night
mares every night for several months.
| II Is easy to distinguish the hobbytst
/! from the general visitor to the collections.
| for the latter, instead of strolling aim
lessly about, makes his way with a de-
| cided businesslike demeanor to the object
| of his search. The exhibits In the Ma
| tional Museum pertaining TO flying ma
| chimes has been productive In bringing
forth a number OF lobbyists. who may he
| seen inspecting the models OF flying ma
chimes as well ~ the Langley engine. and
the records OF bird flights obtained by
photographs taken from towers In the
by.sts encounter each other, as they
sometimes do in the course of their nu-
merous inspections of the exhibits, there
Is likely to be a discussion and argument
involving the entire history and future OF
aerial navigation. and varied and pro-
found are the theories exploited and the
speculations INDUCED in on thesee occa-
sions.
There is one individual who ID to be
observed on certain occasions lowering
around the telegraphic exhibit. The big
electromagnetic and the apparatus for
talking along a beam of light especially
engage his attention, and he IL said to be
perfecting a device for communicating
with Mars and other planets of the solar
system He once started to explain the
general principle upon which he based
his invention to one of the watchmen.
but the latter was soon out OF his depths
and begged to be excused at an early
stage OF the revelation.
Natural history lobbyists form q numer-
Gus class In themselves, and they find
abundant material for the exercise of
their pursuit In the collections of the Ma
tional Museum and Smithsonian. as we'll
az at the Zoo. and I'm other government
institutions. famous retired naval hero
was recently observed. with a companion.
to enter the Smithsonian building and to
proceed directly to a case containing two
stuffed specimens of certain oriental
bird. The admiral and his friend stood
contemplating the birds with all the
evident plea sure and qualification that are
known only to the lobbyist. At length
he exclaimed enthusiastically, That's the
bird" and without another word, ann
without looking at anything else in the
museum. he strobe out. evidently in q
state Of high satisfaction.
There are rome lobbyists who devote
themselves - live animals, and, OF
course. the Geological Park Is their nat
ura1 hunting ground Some take To q
certain sort of species. or even to indi-
vidual animals, and. should one OF the
creatures be missed from Its accustomed
place, the attendants and guardians a
the park are sure to be closely Questiore4
regarding the matter.
-
One old lady, apparently at considerable
personal Inconvenience, comes quite
regularly to visit the big African lions.
She appears quite attached to the ami.
mails. which she terms the ''lordly
brutes.' aud often makes inquiries "a
the condition OF their health and Spirits
An aged gentleman Is regular visitor
to the elephant house. He has contem.
plated the huge quadruped so continuous-
~ that Il IL said he has gotten into the
iatter's habit OF swinging his body from
side to side. Evidently. the delight OF
this eccentric individuals life Is watch-
ing the elephant. Both stand webbing 10
and fro. and contemplating each other.
Just what the old gentleman thinks Of tho
elephant. and what satisfaction he OH
tains i'm gazing at him and, perhaps, un-
consciously initiating his movements.
would he difficult to guess as to as
certain the feelings of the elephant HIM
self upon the matter.
Indeed, the lobbyists who frequent the
public collections are numerous and
varied In their proclivities. ranging all
the way from the inventor and student
to the mere crank"