ADVERTISEMENT. 



The extension of the scope of the National Museum during the pa 

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

 have caused a great increase in the amount of material in its possessio 

 Many of the objects gathered are of a novel and important characte 

 and serve to throw a new light upon the study of nature and of man. 



The importance to science of prompt publication of descriptions 

 this material led to the establishment, in 1878, of the present series 

 publications, entitled " Proceedings of the United States Nation 

 Museum," the distinguishing peculiarity of which is that the articli 

 are published in signatures as soon as matter sufficient to fill sixtet 

 pages has been obtained and printed. The date of publication beii 

 plainly expressed on each signature, the ready settlement of questioi 

 of priority is assured. The present volume constitutes the ninth of tl 

 series. 



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

 scientific corps of the National Museum ; secondly, of papers by other 

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

 interesting facts and memoranda from the correspondence of the Smit 

 souian Institution. 



The Bulletins of the National Museum, the publication of which wj 

 commenced in 1875, consist of elaborate papers (monographs of famili* 

 of animals, «&c.), while the present series contemplates the prompt pul 

 lication of freshly acquired facts relating to biology, anthropology, an 

 geology ; descriptions of restricted groups of animals and plants ; tl 

 settlement of particular questions relative to the synonymy of specie 

 and the diaries of minor expeditions. 



The Bulletins and Proceedings are published by the authority and i 

 the expense of the Interior Department, and under the direction of tl 

 Smithsonian Institution. 



Papers intended for publication in the Proceedings and Bulletins ( 

 the National Museum are referred to the Committee on Publication 

 composed as follows : T. H. Bean, A. Howard Clark (editor), Otis '. 

 Mason, Leonhard Stejneger, Frederick W. True, and Lester F. Ward 



SPENCEK F. BAIRD, 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



United States National, Museum, 



Washington, March 1, 1887. 

 II 



