REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1910. 29 



Mr. Edmund Heller, on his return from Africa in the spring, was 

 assigned the difficult task of working up the entire mammal collection 

 from the Smithsonian expedition, which will occupy liis time for 

 perhaps two years or more. While still in the field he forwarded 

 several papers descriptive of new species, which were immediately 

 published by the Institution and Museum. Dr. D. G. Elliot, of New 

 York City, examined the collection of monkeys and lemurs for infor- 

 mation to be used in coimection with a monograph of the primates 

 which he is preparing. Mr. W. H. Osgood, of the Field Museum of 

 Natural History, who is writing a report on the African mammals in 

 that museum, studied the older African collections here. 



Birds. — The principal accessions of birds, as of mammals, were 

 from east Africa and Java. Next in importance was a collection 

 from Polynesia, made by Dr. C. H. Townsend during one of the early 

 Pacific cruises of the Bureau of Fisheries steamer Albatross, of which 

 he was then the naturaUst. It comprises 391 specimens and about 85 

 species, many of which are new to the Museum or were previously 

 represented only by old and faded specimens dating back to the 

 United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842. The types of 

 three species of swiftlets (Collocalia) are included, and there is a good 

 specimen of the rare sandpiper, Aechmorliynchus cancellatus, which 

 has been reported as extinct. Thirty-nine birds and one nest from 

 East Borneo and the islands of the Java Sea, including a pheasant, 

 Polyplectron schleiermacTieri, new to the collection, were presented by 

 Dr. W. L. Abbott. There were two contributions of birds from the 

 island of Luzon, one of 64 specimens from Dr. H. C. Curl, United 

 States Navy, the other of 33 sldns and 2 eggs from Mr. D. B. Maclde, 

 of the Bureau of Agriculture, Manila. Mr. Henry D. Baker, American 

 Consul at Hobart, Tasmania, transmitted 24 Australian birds. 

 Thirty-four Chinese birds, including a pheasant, Orossoptilon tihet- 

 anum, were received in exchange from the Hon. J. E. Tha^^er, of Lancas- 

 ter, Massachusetts. In appreciation of work done by the Museum in 

 the identification of natural history material, the Peruvian Govern- 

 ment, through Dr. R. E. Coker, donated 47 skins and a few alcoholic 

 specimens, besides 33 eggs, including a number of interesting water 

 birds. One hundred and six African birds, chiefly from Mount 

 Ruwenzori, needed for comparison, were purchased. 



Three hundred and eleven land and water birds from Vkginia, 

 mostly from Smith's Island, were contributed by the collector, 

 Dr. E. A. Mearns, Mr. J. H. Riley, and Mr. E. J. Brown. A fine 

 series of 1,319 eggs and five nests, including several rarities, which 

 had constituted the collection of the late Clarence H. Morrell, was 

 presented to the Museum by his sister, Mrs. Ethel Morrell Hooper, of 

 Exeter, New Hampshire, and three eggs of the rare Bachman's 



