REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1919. 81 



The American Museum of Natural History, New York, presented 

 four paratypes of species recently described in its bulletin. Finally, 

 grateful mention should be made of 12 turtles, mostly Kinosternons, 

 donated by the Mexican National Museum through its director, Dr. 

 A. L, Herrera, as this material is of particular importance in clearing 

 up some of the confusion existing in relation to the species of this 

 group of turtles. The usual annual examination of all the jars in 

 the collection for the purpose of replenishing the alcohol was com- 

 pleted. 



The curator, Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, with many interruptions, 

 continued his study of the turtles north of Panama, principally the 

 mud turtles of Central America and Mexico. The material at hand, 

 although considerable and probably greater than in any other mu- 

 seum, is still insufficient to solve the many intricate questions involved, 

 and efforts are being made to obtain specimens from all parts of the 

 region mentioned. Dr. F. N. Blanchard, who was appointed aid 

 during the year, made good progress and nearly completed his mono- 

 graphic study of the American milk snakes. He published a prelimi- 

 nary paper describing two new species of the genus. Dr. Thomas 

 Barbour, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, during several 

 visits studied West Indian reptiles and batrachians, determining about 

 60 lizards on one occasion. Dr. J. C. Thompson, United States Navy, 

 identified about a hundred snakes from Malaysia, and Mr. E. R. Dunn, 

 of Smith College, studied and identified a considerable number of 

 salamanders during occasional visits. Other herpetologists who have 

 examined material in the collection from time to time were : Mr. G. K. 

 Noble, of the American Museum of Natural History ; Dr. O. P. Hay, 

 of the Carnegie Institution ; and Dr. R. W. Shuf eldt, of Washington, 

 District of Columbia. Specimens were lent for study to the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, for Dr. Tli. Bar- 

 bour; American Museum of Natural History, New York City, for 

 Miss M. C. Dickerson, and to Dr. Alex. G. Ruthven, director of the 

 Museum of the University of Michigan. 



Fishes. — The Bureau of Fisheries transferred 31 specimens! of 

 Macruroid fishes, among them two types, collected during the Alba- 

 tross Philippine cruise, 1907-1909; also an Apsilus dentatus from 

 Campeche Banks, Gulf of Mexico, received from the Warren Fish 

 Co., Pensacola, Florida. Mr. Philip Cox, University of New Bruns- 

 wick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, donated four specimens of an 

 undescribed form of Dace (Leuciscus) collected in a brook tributary 

 to Miramichi Ba}'. 



The upper floor and about one-half of the lower floor of the 

 storage containing the study series has been gone over thoroughly, 

 alcohol replenished or changed where needed, shelves and containers 

 143943°— 20 6 



