ADVERTISEMENT. 



The extension of tlie scope of the National Mnseum during the past 

 few years, and the activity of the collectors employed in its interest, 

 have caused a great increase in the amount of material in its posses- 

 sion. Many of the objects gathered are of a novel and important 

 character, and serve to throw a new light upon the study of nature and 

 of man. 



The imi)ortance to science of prompt publication of descriptions of 

 this material led to the establishment, in 1878, of the i^resent series of 

 publications, entitled " Proceedings of the United States National 

 Museum," the distinguishing peculiarity of Avhich is that the articles 

 are imblished in pamphlet form as fast as completed and in advance 

 of the bound volume. The present volume constitutes the fourteenth 

 of the series. 



The articles in this series consist: First, of papers prepared by the 

 scientific corjis of the National Museum; secondly, of papers by others, 

 founded upon the collections in the National Museum; and, finally, of 

 facts and memoranda from the correspondence of the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



The Bulletin of the National Museum, the publication of which was 

 commenced in 1875, consists of elaborate papers based upon the collec- 

 tions of the Museum, reports of expeditions, etc., while the Proceedings 

 fticilitate the prompt publication of freshly-acquired facts relating to 

 biology, anthropology and geology, descriptions of restricted groups 

 of animals and plants, the discussion of particular questions relative to 

 the synonymy of species, and the diaries of minor exi)editions. 



Othei' papers, of more general popular interest, are printed in the 

 Appendix to the Annual Report. 



Papers intended frn- publication in the Proceedings and Bulletin of 

 the National Museum are referred to the Advisory Committee on Pub- 

 lications, composed as follows: T. H. Bean (chairman), A. Howard 

 Clark, R. E. Earll, Otis T. Mason, Leonhard Stejneger, Frederick W. 



True, and Lester F. Ward. 



S. P. Langley, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 II 



