New-York tribune., 1921-05-15

riers in all their horrors brought out by mag
nifying their size.
These common insects rnagnifed are almost
in a class with the prehistoric beasts that
adorn other parts of the luuseun. And
truly, the dinosaurs, triceratops and others,
in all their skeleton frankness, are enough to
give dreams which would have no Freudian
Interpretation. Most Of these are made
from some small fossil, or from the frag-
mentary fossils of the beasts entire skeleton.
They are built after careful study.
Mounting skeletons of contemporary
animals is another department. of the prep
aration work of the museum
"It takes long time to prepare a good
skeleton" said Mr.. Coleman Bones as thew
come from the field are caked with dried
flesh They have to go through a long prep
aration before they are in condition for dis
play. The whites of bones are the result
Of treatment which works slowly. The
means by which the skeleton is mounted NAV
be learned by inspecting any example of the
work. Where to-place the bones is more
perplexing than how to keep them there. and
the novice often finds that contortion is his
held and not anatomy
Many kinds of animals are poor subjects
for the taxidernist. Chief among these ara
reptiles and their relatives, the frogs, toads
and salamanders. Mounted, the skins Of
these creatures shrivel and crack and their
colors fade.
We examined some of these creatures, which
in the case look like the real thing. The diff
Guilty with their unmountahIe skins is set aside
by reproducing the specimen in wax instead
OF attempting to mount it. The steps in repro
ductlon are three-molding, casting and color
ing. In modlng plaster is the material ordi-
narily used. Wax is used for the cast and col
orlng is done by an application of oil pigments
to the wax cast.
Fishes are often nodded in wax. But some
times another method is used that Of molding
the fish IN paraffin and depositing metal cast
by electroplating. This latter method is not
essayed in the American Museum of Natural
History.
Wandering about through the preparation
department is interesting. In one room man
was making an artificial campfire for an In
dian group. He was proud of his work Of red
paper and electricity and half-burned logs.
But he insisted that to look at it we must stand
at certain angle-that which would face the
public when it was put on view
Artifciality seems the keynote in mary OF
the realistic looking models in the museum. but.
as matter of fact, back of all this is careful
study to make the reproductions likeiike, and
the completed exhibition offers nothing except
facts about the creatures represented.
With eyes opened, after the glimpse behind
the scenes, we went ont into the exhibition
rooms again and alone. We studied the beav-
ers, the bears and the buffalo with fearless
ness and curiosity. In front of the penguin
group we stopped Tor several moments Here
was an example of the careful planning and
work of which Mr.. Coleman had been telling
u.s. An old gentleman and his wife were also
interested in this group. She read the long de-
scription aloud while he sat on bench and
looked. Finally, the old gentleman commented:
.You can't tell me that's bird"
Certain groups have been set OFF with very
special lighting. They are shown in a daYk
room arrangement and lighted to give the effee.
OF their native haunts. Son the Trail. IL.
famous wolf group, is one of the most efer-
tive of these. Another is a group Of the
reptiles that inhabit the Florida swamps Let
us confess that in spite Of our recent inssruc-
ton IN the ways the groups are made, in
spite OF our scorn at forner timidity toward
the fiercer museum exhibits, when it came to
entering that dark room showing the un-
healthy. venomous Florida swamp creatures
we got as far as the door and looked around
the curtain
Not just now" ws said Probably we'd
appreciate it more if some one could explain
the things TO u.s."
Florida, we realized, is not all Palm BsaaA