72 REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 



collections of animals from the vicinity of Cantonment Burgwyn, New 

 Mexico, have been received from Dr. Anderson, United StatesArmy, 

 in completion of previous transmissions. These are of especial interest 

 as showing an arctic type of the fauna in the high mountain regions 

 of New Mexico, previously quite unexpected. The pine grosbeak, 

 evening grosbeak, the crossbill, and similar species, appear to be con- 

 stant residents. Dr. Anderson also collected many specimens in his 

 march eastward through Texas ; among them, the first skin of Hijpo- 

 triorchis femoralis received by the Institution. 



Dr. Irwin, United States Army, has also furnished important con- 

 tributions from the vicinity of Fort Buchanan, in Arizona, embracing 

 new species of reptiles and insects, and many rare birds and eggs. 



An interesting collection of birds, plants, and other specimens of 

 natural history was made in the vicinity of Fort Stockton, Texas, by 

 Mr. Patrick Duffy, and is of value as illustrating the natural history 

 of the high plains. Collections were also made in western Texas by 

 Mr. F. Kellogg and Mr. F. S. Wade. 



Important collections of nests and eggs of birds were made for the 

 Institution by Dr. Hay, at Racine, Dr. Hammond, in Indiana, Mr. 

 Tolman, at Winnebago, and others. 



From Explorations in other parts of the World. — Captain Dow, of the 

 Panama railroad service, has transmitted several collections during the 

 year. The most important of these consist of shells, embracing several 

 new rare species, and considered by Mr. Carpenter as of much value in 

 determining the fauna of the west coast. A new species of Anableps, 

 and other fishes, new genera and species of Crustacea, &c, are also 

 among his collections. 



Dr. C. Sartorius, of Vera Cruz, has supplied desirable specimens of 

 Mexican animals, illustrating the distribution of North American spe- 

 cies. Mr. I. A. Nieto has contributed specimens of woods of many spe- 

 cies of Mexican trees, and a series of coleoptera. Shells of the coast of 

 Chili have been received from Mr. Flint, of Caldera ; a very full col- 

 lection of eggs of birds of Chili, prepared by Mr. F. Germain, from 

 Don Jacinto R. Pena, of Santiago, &c. A series of birds of Guate- 

 mala, received from Mr. Osbert Salvin, will be of much service to 

 American ornithologists, as embracing many species not otherwise ac- 

 cessible in this country to them. 



Valuable specimens of birds and eggs of Greenland, and of northern 

 Europe, have been received from the Royal Museum and the University 

 Museum of Copenhagen. 



Further indications of more or less important additions to our knowl- 

 edge of the natural history of particular regions will be found in the 

 list of donations subsequently presented. 



WORK DONE IN CONNECTION WITH THE COLLECTIONS. 



In accordance with your wish, the preliminaries to a distribution 

 of the duplicates of the collection in the museum have been pushed 

 forward as fast as possible during the year. The assorting of the 

 large mass of shells belonging to the Institution, by Mr. Carpenter, 



