New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-10
GETS A FUR SEAL GROUP
Museum of Natural History An
nounCeS a Recent Gift.

Announcement Of q gift OF fur seal
group from the late D. O. Mills was made
yesterday at the American Museum Of
Natural History by Charles II. Townsend.
the acting director.
The seals were collected expressly for
the museum in 1908 at the Pribylov Islands.
The specimens were mounted by Frederick
Blaschke animal sculptor. TO show a small
portion Of A seal rookerv.
Mr.. Townsend said that the museum had
long been IN need Of just such series Of
fur seals. which included :he adult male.
females and young. as the seal held an i'm
portant place in the annals Of International
controversy.
a new possession OF the museum is an
egg that Is feet inches long and feet
inches around and has capacity OF
about two gallons. 1t cost the museum 500
The specimen is a fossil from Madagas-
car, and has been in the British Museum on
loan since 1892. 1t is unusually perfect, the
she'll unbroken, although finely ptted in
places, showing effects upon II before 1t
passed into its present Interchangeable state.
". De ". Miller CT the department CT
rnammalosy and ornitholosy, who vas
recently appointed inspector OF import
ed i've birds q: che per; of New York
undsr the direction OF tho CHIEF OF tho
United States Biological! survey, said tha:
fossil eggs os this description h-st came
TO tho no:ice o. scientists in ;Sjo v;hen Gis-
covered - the bci OF q sorren: IN NADIA
gasca-. The natives used them sometimes
&C vessels Cor domestic purposes ard also
had tradition OF g bird large enough %
carry OF an OK.
Il has been decided by scientific men tina:
the bird vas oe massive proportions and
short hinged, and rs hejch: IS supposed
20 have been Six or seven ;eet There IS
no fossil specimen % che bira itself II the
American museum. The egg will be placed
on exhibition soon. and when seen il corD-
parison with the eggs o3 ordinary size CT
even that oc she ostrich viii make clear
that knowledge oG these eggs In prehistoric
times may weil have given rise in Oriental
fables to the stories Of q giant roc able to
carry Off an elephant in its telons."
The museum has received . favorable re-
port from its Congo expedition Of the
health Of its members and the success Of
IT'S work in geological survey, with q story
OF hunting the rare okapi from q chain Of
isolated camps in the hot, wet jungle.
The record Of the expedition shows q
total OF 4.952 specimens collected exclusive
Of at least 1900 invertebrates, and 1,i20
pages OF data and descriptive notes, sup
plemented by eight hundred photographs
A new South Sea exhibit, arranged by
Dr. Robert H. LOWE, assistant curator Of
the department OF anthropology, has been
put on view at the museum. II comprises
a number OF models Of the simple canoes
found in Samoa. Fiji and the Society ISL
ands, while larger model OF q New Zea-
land boat illustrates the elaborate carving
sometimes avished on their structure.
Block Of Jade Given by Morgan.
A remarkable feature OF the exhibit is
the statue Of Maori warrior on the
largest block of jade in any museum in
| the world. This block of Jade. which
weighs three tons. came from South ISL
and. New Zealand. and was presented 10
| the museum by J. Pierpont Morgan.
The museum is congratuating itself upon
having acquired a treasure OF ancient
Chinese bronzes. Jacob II. Schiff donated
funds ten years ago to the museum 10
make Investigations and collections In
| China The administration OF these funds
! was entrusted 10 a committee organized
under the auspices OF the museum, with
! the late Morris K. Jesup as chairman.
| The work was placed In the hands OF Dr..
| Berthold Laufer. who had just completed
work as a member OF the Jesup North Pa
| cihc expedition to Eastern Siberia. DR..
Laufer spent the three years from 1901 TO
1904 in China, and the collection thus OBJ
tanned 1. now in the museums Ch!nese
| hall, IN the west wing. IN letter recently
! received from Dr.. Laufer he calls stten-
J ton 70 its greatly Increased value. and
says that after ti!igent search IN China
! he has been unable 10 make another col
! lection 0. equa, importance.
Among the specimens IN the Chinese
hal! are two important collections-one Of
ancient Chinese bronzes and the other OF
n,ortuary pottery Of the Han period