Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 59.djvu/23

Rh Ulke, of Washington, D. C, is one of the largest and most perfect collections of the beetles of North America in existence. It is rich in types-and cotypes, several thousand species being thus represented. In addition to the North American collections of coleoptera, there are vast accumulations of material from other parts of the world, especially from Africa, tropical America and Japan. The collections in other orders of insects represent mostly North American material, though in every order there is more or less exotic material.

In the ornithological collections North American species preponderate. There are about nine thousand specimens of birds in the pos

session of the Museum, as the result of the accumulations made during the last three years. Fully three-fourths of these belong to the native series. Of the species of birds known to occur within the State of Pennsylvania almost all are represented. Great skill and taste have been displayed by Mr. Frederick S. Webster, the chief preparator in the department of zoology, in the composition of a number of very life-like and attractive groups representing some of the more remarkable as well as the commoner forms of bird-life found in America. The groups of flamingoes, Californian condors and brown pelicans are large and effective. One of the most striking compositions is that of the famous setter-dog, 'Count Noble,' flushing a covey of quails. 'Count Noble,'