Throughout our second week, we continued on in our pursuit to rehouse, catalog, and database our specimens from the Roy Mapes Collection! Though we're becoming more comfortable with our work, that doesn't mean any less questions for Bushra! However, new drawers means new fossils -and many of us are finding some beautiful specimens!


A sand dollar (Echinodermata) from the Cenozoic
Some funky corals (Anthozoa)

This week we had the pleasure of visiting the Herpetology Collection, complete with a tour courtesy of David Kirizian. We were amazed by the sheer number of specimens they house (almost 380,000!) and by the size of some of some of these specimens (like the Galapagos Tortoises featured below). Many of the specimens are used for ongoing research, meaning that scientists from many different institutions and countries come to study this collection. 


Galapagos tortoises gifted to the collection


Specimens preserved in Ethanol
Some Crocodilian skulls, which are the most commonly studied from the department


This week we also ventured out in into the Upper West Side to experience Sixteen Handles on a hot day! Levain's cookies is our next stop!

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