130 [Dec. 



AH objects of the museum of a destructible character are in a good state 

 of preservation, and appear to be well protected from the attacks of Der- 

 mestes and Ptinus by the vapor of ether, which has been lately introduced 

 into use for this purpose by Dr. Wilson. 



The increase in the cabinet during this year, will be briefly noticed under the 

 head of each respective department. 



Mammalia. In this class the Academy has been greatly enriched by the addi- 

 tion of the collection of Dr. J. K. Townsend, made by himself in the Rocky 

 Mountains and Oregon, consisting of 37 species, 56 specimens, in skin, in a good 

 state of preservation. These were liberally presented to the Society by Dr. 

 Townsend. Most of them are the specimens from which the species were origip- 

 ally described, and many of them are exceedingly rare in natural history collec- 

 tions, and a few are unique.* Among them are two specimens of the gigantic 

 wolf of America, Lu'pus gigas, lately described by Dr. Townsend in the Journal 

 of the Academy. 



We have also received skins of twenty species of mammalia, f of Euiope, Asia, 

 Africa, and Australia, from W. E. Strickland, Esq., of England, through Dr. 

 Wilson. 



Another addition of great value was made by Dr. T. B. Wilson, consisting of 

 one hundred specimens from the collection of the Prince of Canino, C. L. Bona- 

 parte, being the originals of those species figured and described in the Fauna 

 Italica. 



We are also indebted to Capt. W. McMichael for 7 species. 8 specimens, of 

 animals from Van Dieman's Land. 



Besides the above there were presented to the Society ten species from various 

 sources. 



Aves. We have received during the year 71 bird skins, of which 51 are from 

 Van Dieman's Land, presented by Capt. W. McMichael; 10 from China, present- 

 ed by Capt. John Land ; the remainder from various localities, presented by Dr. 

 E. J. Lewis, and others. 



The valuable Des Murs collection of Bird's eggs, containing 12S1 species, men- 

 tioned in the last report of the Curators as a deposit, has since been presented to 

 the Academy by Dr. Wilson. 



To Mr. Samuel Ashmead we are also indebted for the donation of 38 species, 

 48 specimens of American bird's eggs. 



There were also presented by various individuals, principally members of the 

 Society, 15 species of nests, and 23 of eggs, from different localities. 



Reptilia. Of reptiles there have been received 65 species, 80 specimens, be- 

 sides numerous American duplicates, principally from Dr. McCartee, of Ningpo, 

 China ; Capt. John Land ; Mr. Sandwith Drinker, of Hong Kong, China ; and Mr. 

 Ashmead. 



Pisces. In ichthyology the cabinet has received, rather unexpectedly, a large 

 and very valuable collection, presented by Dr. T.B. Wilson, consisting of 767 

 bottles containing fishes in alcohol, and 177 dried specimens of the latter, for- 

 merly belonging to Prince C. L. Bonaparte, and being the originals of the de- 

 scriptions and illustrations of the Fauna Italica. 



* For list, see Proceedings for January and February, 1850, p. 13. 

 fib. March and April, 1850, p. 37. 



