The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-28
THE MUSEUM

iarity and dissimiiarity. In this hall
is the skeleton OF one OF the big
gest whales that ever dlspofted in the
ptaygrounds OF the Tea, and one
stands almost under IL while looking
at the 242 exhibits of sea shells so
small that ii resources a higt1-powered
microscope TO tell whether they are
grains of dust or perfectly formed
creatures of the deep.
me Of the most interesting collec-
tons from the standpoint OF the lay
man, 10 that of the anthropoiogieaI
department or he museum, Here one
may trace the development OF the
ace from he time SO remote that
history stands dumb and tradition is
silent, He may look into the recon-
structed homes OF cave-dwellers and
wfeIders of stone hatchets. and by
easy g~radations follow his ancestry up
to h present civilization.
ON of the exhibits In the divi-
sion OF ethnology are remarkable for
their beauty and the art displayed
In their making. one case contains
q representation OF an Eskimo fishing
scene. The whole Eskimo party and
their dogs are grouped about and one
does not know which to admire
most-the alert attention OF the dogs
or the bright smile OF pleasant an
ticipat!on that plays over the face
of he little boy as he sees the fish
drawn out unoG the Ice. There are
indian var dances. Indian women
grinding meal and other incidents of
tffc-A~es-of-trr~rra first rur1tffes or
America.
In the division OF technical history
one may follow the development OF
naval architecture from the first
~hewed-out log TO the modern steam
ship. He may see boats of grass.
boats OF skin, RATS of logs, and may
follow the sail from the first canvas
hoisted to the breeze to the best
modern full-rigged merchantmen. He
may see the models of the first
steamboats,. going back as far as John
Fitch's many-oared affair which was
sailed on the Delaware river in 1886.
This vessel was made to run like al
modern varsity crew boat, My the
oars were perpendicular instead Of
nearly horizontal.
A fine exhibit Is that showing the
history Of aeronautics, from the tele-
photo gun-camora devised by Profess
sor Langley for prying into the secrets
of bird flight, down to a model of a
modern flying machine. The gun
camera are most ingenious arrange
ments, They were constructed In
pairs. Two observers stood at, differ
eI4t angles and ahmed their guns at
the bird who's photograph they de-
sired h first n h got a favor
ed view of the bird pulled the trig-
ger, and electrical connection ex~
posed both cameras.
Thus at the exact instant two photo
graphs at different angles were taken
of the saEfe bird.
h Average man is deeply inter
ested III the magnificent collection of
mere than zoo. 600 birds possessed lay
the Museum. Scientists declare that
there are $4,000 known species of
birds in the world, of which 5000
kinds are perching birds. They vary
In size from the tiniest Heetar-sipping
humfning bird to the great condor and
the huge ostrich. The National Mu-
scum exhibits are arranged in a
charmfngly interesting way. One
may follow the various species
through all their shades of change,
and may see many OF them mounted
as they live in their native haunts
Every land has contributed TO the
collection and it still is growing at N
rapid rate. The chiidren's room. with
its chimney sweep and hulnmiag
birds nests. Its bull-bats, its fish. its
glass snakes and either things. is CALL
cuiated to awaken the slumberinE
naturalist in the child.
The division of insects lis one of the
most interesting In the Museum. More
than 100000 species have been de-
scribed by scientists, and this by no
means exhansts the list. IL Ia esd-
mated by some that the world con-
tains a million different kinds, The
Museum has one OF the finest %collee-
lions to be oun anywhere. Its but
~terfiies are especially numerous and
notable. and was increased in size by
the gift of the William Sehaus coliec-
tier, now being installed. This gift
represents 200. 600 butterflies and IL
the life labor of the donor. Science
has described 10000 species Of but
~terflies, of which 1900 live in North
America. They range in size from the
great morpheciphis. as big as a hand.
to the-tiny little fellows AZ small AS
a haby's finger nail. The Hercules
beetle has the reputation ef being
the original sawyer. lie Is about the
size OF IA large fist and has very stout
manibles. 1t Is said that he grasps