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^[[Contains synopsis of Cincinnati habit [[underline]] from this dep't ]]/underline]] ]]
^[[Curators Reports 1887-88 Living Animals]]

REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LIVING ANIMALS.

By W. T. Hornaday.   Curator.

From the date of the plan of organization of the National Museum it has been the intention of its founders that it should eventually include a Department of Vivaria, to afford materials for the prosecution of scientific studies, as well as for general educational purposes.  The organization of the present Department of Living Animals was hastened, and finally precipitated, by the imperative needs of the taxidermic force for living models to be studied daily in connection with work on the series of family groups of American mammals begun last year for the display of mounted mammals.  The experiment of keeping live animals for this purpose in the taxidermic laboratory had proven expensive, and in many ways unsatisfactory.  Inasmuch as it had been determined to spare no effort which should be as nearly perfect as possible, it was deemed necessary t form a small collection of living animals for purposes of study, and, if practicable, to also