The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13


vertebrate collections arc rather small
tho most, notable of them being the
Avery collection of birds, which numbers
about It's Alabama species and 800 speci-
MONS In archaeology, there are two cases
of Indian antiquities taken for the mos
part from the mounds at Moundville
rhe geological collections of rocks and
minerals, though not particularly nota-
BILE, are well selected. In addition to
,.sse major collections there are of
course many minor ones. OF these num-
erous collections, the most valuable are
probably the Mohr herbarium and the
Show alter shells.
The well known Mohr herbarium,
collection of Alabama plants, contains
about 25c0 species of Towering plants and
ferns Indigenous to the state or intro
duced and now growing wild; 1900 lower
crypzogan,s Qichcns, moses. fungi etc.
Of Alabama; q forestry collection of Ala
$50 glass fronted exhibition cases show
Ing the foliage. flowers and fruits of the
same trees: large series OF native fruits;
and a number Of manuscript maps illus
tratnig the distribution of the most inn
portant timber trees. The collection was
made by DR.. Charles A. Mohr and DR..
Eugene A. Smith and presented by them
to the survey. It Is the basis and com
pan,on OF DR.. Mohr's great work on
PLANT Lifo in Alabama"
shownlter Collection of Shells.
The showalter collection Is very rich
In Alabama fresh-watcr and land shells,
and, moreover, contains large series from
other parts of the United States. and ma
rines from all parts OF the world. The
collection is classical. With the excep-
Ion of that Of Lea, It is the greatest col
- ~ III, &c. -
bama watershed and 1t Is indispensable
to every student in the field which, 1t
represents. There are at least 100000
specimens, including very large series of
the rarest species.
As soon as they can be moved in and
arranged, all OF these various collections
will be on display in the new building
where they can be viewed and studied by
tho curious and all who are interested in
such things DR.. Smith Is in active
charge of The work. Associated with him
arc DIR. W. r. Prouty, chief assistant;
Herbert II. Smith. curator of the mu-
scum, and r. s. Hodges, chemist of the
survey Mrs. Herbert II. Smith Is q
volunteer assistant with much experience
WIG is giving her entire time to museum
work.
Aims of Museum.
With the increased facilities afforded
by the new building, the geological de-
partrnent and the survey are executing old
plars AMI formulating new ones which
1t viii take years to Develop The aims
Of the museum may be briefly outlined as
follows:
/. To put into tho best possible order
the collections of the geological survey, to
increase and study them, and thus develop
tho knowledge OF Alabama geology. A
principal object of the survey and rnu-
--'t '-.- = N-,e..~ tn
geology, and by published Information
or private counsel, to develop mining In
= 70 collect and study tire animals and
plants OF tho state. with especial refer
once to geographical distribution, and
eventually to publish monographs and
flats of the different groups: incidentally,
to Increase the knowledge Of the benefit
cial and injurious species. to utilize the