52 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



An extremely important addition to the collection of JS^orth American 

 mammals is that of two good, mountable skins of the Histriophoca 

 equestris, or i^arti- colored seal of the North Pacific, of which only a 

 tauned skin had been previously in possession of the Museum. These 

 were obtained through the instrumentality of Mr. Dall. 



Dr. White, of the Revenue Marine, obtained many specimens of fur 

 Aeals, including several embryos in alcohol. The Alaska Commercial 

 Company also supplied a similar collection. Judge Caton, of Illinois, 

 so well known for his great work on the ruminating animals of North 

 America, has furnished a specimen of Hydropotes inermis, a small horn- 

 less deer belonging to China. 



Captain Howgate has presented two full-blooded Esquimaux dogs, 

 which have been sent to the Zoological Garden in Philadelphia for safe 

 keeping. Prom the garden itself has been obtainetl a series of skele- 

 tons of monkeys that had died in the garden. An embryo porpoise 

 from Mr. E. E. Small, of Provincetown, is also highly valued. 



Of hirds, many collections have been received, the most important 

 being the Alaskan series from Mr. Nelson, Dr. Bean, and Captain 

 Beardslee. Captain Bendire has furnished some much-appreciated 

 skins from Washington Territory ; and a series of the birds of Cali- 

 fornia, from Mr. L. Belding, of Stockton, has filled some important gaps 

 in the collections. 



During the summer Mr. Ridgway, curator of ornithology in the Insti- 

 tution, accompanied by Mr. Henry Marshall, taxidermist, and followed 

 subsequently by Mr. P. Jouy, an assistant in the Museum, visited Cobb's 

 Island on the peninsula of Eastern Virginia, and obtained a series of 

 adults and young of a number of water birds from the remarkable breed- 

 ing grounds of that island. 



A few specimens of Barrow's Golden eyed duck, in the flesh, were 

 furnished by Mr. G. A. Boardman. 



The barnacle goose {Bernicla leucopsis), presented by Mr. J. J. Kendall, 

 of New York, is the first specimen of that species obtained by the 

 Miiseum from a locality within the limits of the United States, although 

 a skin was received several years ago from Hudson's Bay. 



A finely-mounted specimen of the trumpeter swan, killed in Wiscon- 

 sin, was furnished by Prof. T. Kumlien, and a mounted sand hill crane 

 by Mr. Prouty. 



The accessions of birds from Mexico and Central America were 

 fewer than usual, although some interesting Mexican specimens were 

 furnished by Professor Duges. 



An important addition to the West Indian collections was made by 

 Dr. Nicholls, of Dominica, in the form of a new and large species of 

 parrot. This, as previously stated, has been described by Mr. Law- 

 rence as Ghrysotis nichollsii. Mr. Ober, in a renewed visit to the West 

 Indies, also added considerably to his former gatherings from islands 

 previously unvisited by him. The first series of his collections was 

 obtained by the Institution and placed in the National Museum. 



