Off to the Institution

http://www.si.edu/
Back inside after my holidays outdoors. The Smithsonian Institution boasts it is the world's largest museum complex and research organization composed of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo.

I start with the National Museum of Natural History and visit the mammal department. There are 590,000 preserved specimens which is too many to absorb so I decided to look at the special features in the museum instead.

Romantic jellyfish sounded exciting. Normally jellyfish indulge mass spawning, which allows jellyfish to "mate" without the lovers even needing to meet. Carybdea sivickisi has a more intimate courtship routine. Cheryl Ames turned down the lights, put on some romantic music and watched (with a flashlight) the jellies pair up and perform a wedding dance.

In the National Postal Museum I learned about mail robberies. In his annual report to Congress in 1921, the Postmaster General noted that there had been "a sudden & unusual increase in crimes committed in the 'hold-up' of railway mail trains, mail messengers, etc." That past year had seen at least three dozen mail robberies, resulting in a theft of over $6.3 million.

Railway Post Office clerks were required to carry small .38-caliber pistols. The guns came in handy on occasion. When the Salt Lake City mail train was stopped en-route, the clerks on duty fired a hail of bullets and drove off the prospective thieves.

What I learned that was special:
• The Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs greet with what looks like a kiss. They're not really kissing, but gently touching their front teeth together.