478 PJKOCEEUINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1894. 



REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SECTION. 



The Section is pleased to report that the Ornithological Department 

 of the Museum is in excellent condition as regards the preservation of 

 the specimens, and to note important progress in the work of reno- 

 vating the collection on the plans outlined in a previous report. 



The question having arisen as to the policy of remounting the 

 type specimens and duplicates unnecessary for display, as has been 

 the custom during the past two years, the Conservator consulted 

 several of the leading ornithologists of the world and obtained their 

 unqualified endorsement of the plans for the renovation of the collec- 

 tion recommended by the Section and adopted by the Curators. 



In view of the endorsement of R. Bowdler Sharpe, Robert Ridg- 

 way, and other high authorities we feel fully justified in the course 

 we have pursued and are convinced that the proper preservation of 

 our collection of birds is absolutely dependent upon the continuance 

 of the treatment that we have already outlined. 



Owing to the miscellaneous duties of the Conservator in his posi- 

 tion as Assistant to the Board of Curators, his work on the ornitho- 

 logical collection was mainly resti'icted to the summer months. At 

 this time, also, the Academy's taxidermist, Mr. David N. McCad- 

 den, was enabled to devote his entire time to this department, and 

 with the further valuable assistance of Messrs. Howard Y. Pennell 

 and Henry W. Fowler, it was possible to make greater progress with 

 the work of renovation than in any previous year. 



In all 5,907 mounted specimens were examined, catalogued, and 

 labelled, and then remounted or reduced to skins as the circum- 

 stances warranted. These included the Cicouiidte, Gruidse, Limicolse, 

 Gallinie, Colurabse, Dendrocolaptidoe, Formicariidse, Paridee, Buce- 

 rotidte, and part of the Fringillidse. In addition specimens of the 

 Corvidse, Paradisteidse, Icteridie, and Tanagridie which had pre- 

 viously been catalogued were remounted for exhibition. Several 

 temporary lists were also copied into the regular catalogue dui-ing 

 the year aggregating 7,029 entries, while all the accessions have 

 been labelled and placed in the proper places. The entire study 

 series of American birds has been carefully examined and found to 

 be in excellent condition. 



The principal accessions during the year have been small collec- 

 tions from Lower California, California, and Florida, received in 



