40 KEPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1909. 



another of 43 specimens, chiefly from South America, was secured 

 in the same manner from Count Hans von Berlepsch, of Germany. 

 Among 10 rare birds, purchased from Mr. W. F, H. Rosenberg, of 

 London, are a specimen of Rudolpli's bird of paradise, a flightless 

 duck from Xew Zealand, Nesonetta aucklandica^ and two species of 

 the genus Miro, now nearly extinct. 



Of birds' eggs obtained in exchange may be mentioned 56 specimens 

 from Mexico and South America, including the eggs of Calypte 

 helence^ probably the smallest bird known; 8 eggs and a nest of the 

 western golden-crowned kinglet from Mr. J. H, Bowles, of Tacoma, 

 Washington ; and 15 eggs, including 4 of Epidonax gnseus, not 

 previously represented in the Museum, from Mr. "VV. L. Chambers, 

 of Santa Monica, California. Mr. Outram Bangs presented an egg of 

 Vruhithuja gundlachi from Cuba. 



Work on the fifth part of the Manual of North American Birds 

 was continued by Mr. Robert Ridgway, curator, assisted by Mr. 

 Riley, aid, and the manuscript on four families of passerine birds 

 was com^jleted. The M'orking up of the humming-bird and wood- 

 pecker families and the family Micropodidse was nearly finished, but 

 the goatsuckers still require to be studied. In connection with this 

 investigation, 6,380 specimens were borrowed from other museums 

 for purposes of comparison. A descriptive list of the birds of 

 Uganda, Africa, was prepared by Dr. C. W. Richmond for the use 

 of Dr. E. A. Mearns, and also of about 200 Javan birds for the use of 

 Mr. William Palmer. Doctor Richmond added about a thousand 

 cards to the catalogue of genera and species of birds during the year. 



Specimens of birds to the number of 930 were lent for examination, 

 including 114 representatives of the genus Piaya^ to Mr. Witmer 

 Stone, of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, for use 

 in the revision of the cuckoos ; and 65 Korean and other Asiatic birds 

 to the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburg, for purposes of identification. 



The cases containing the reserve collections of bird skins and eggs, 

 304 in number, were fireproofed with sheet steel, requiring the tem- 

 porary removal of their contents and imposing a considerable task 

 upon the staff. At least 8,000 labels were prepared, mainly for the 

 East Indian collection from Dr. W. L. Abbott, the Costa Rican speci- 

 mens from the Museum-Zeledon expedition, and the Philippine speci- 

 mens from Dr. E. A. Mearns, U. S. Army. Toward the close of the 

 year the collection of birds' eggs, occupying 70 quarter-unit cases, 

 was removed to the new building for storage. 



Reptiles and hatrachians. — The reptiles collected in the Philippines 

 by Dr. Paul Bartsch while with the steamer Albatross are especially 

 interesting, since in large part they were obtained on islands from 

 which the Museum had previously no material. A number of Philip- 

 pine specimens, chiefly of rare species, were also contributed by Maj. 



