REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 53 



The additions of reptiles, although not very extensive, have been very 

 important, especially in the way of living specimens to serve as models 

 for a series of plaster casts. Among these were living Gila monsters 

 {Heloflerma suspecUim), from Dr. Corson and Dr. Moran, of the United 

 States Army, together with some turtles and lizards. 



A living leather back turtle was sent from York Eiver, Chesapeake 

 Bay, by Mr. J. Henderson. Mr. Bell, of Gainesville, Fla., transmitted 

 a magnificent series of most of the serpents of that State; among them 

 a banded rattlesnake, nearly seven feet in length. These have been for 

 the most part cast in plaster. Some of them were supplied to Dr. Mason, 

 of I^ewi)ort, for examination and to serve as material for microscoi)ical 

 investigations of the tissue of the brain and spinal marrow. 



Living boas were furnished by Mr. Edward Newton, of Jamaica, and 

 Professor Poey, of Havana, the latter gentleman sending also some 

 living species of lizards and snakes. 



Fishes. — As might be imagined from the activity manifested during 

 the year by the United States Fish Commission, and the fish census of 

 1880, the collection of fishes has received great additions, no previous 

 year in the history of the National Museum comparing with it in this 

 respect. The most important contributions in this department consisted 

 of the collections by Prof. D. S. Jordan and Mr. Charles H. Gilbert, of 

 the fishery census. These gentlemen devoted a number of months dur- 

 ing the year to the systematic investigation of the food-fishes of the 

 western coast of the United States, and traversed the whole region from 

 San Diego to Puget Sound in their researches. The results filled 05 

 large tin cans, of 4 to 6 cubic feet each. About 2G0 species in all were 

 obtained, many of them new to science. Seventy duplicate sets of 

 specimens were secured for distribution to the principal museums, at 

 home and abroad, and will be promptly transmitted to their respective 

 destinations. 



Mr. Gilbert, after completing his work on the California coast, started 

 on his homeward journey by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and has 

 alread}^ made very large collections in the Gulf of California. 



Mr. James G. Swan, of Neah Bay, Puget Sound, also obtained and 

 transmitted many specimens of fishes of that locality. The American 

 waters farther to the north were thoroughly explored in the interest of 

 ichthyology by Dr. T. H. Bean. The results amounted to between 80 

 and 100 species, some of them new to science, and others, long lost spe- 

 cies, of Pallas, &c. 



Captain Hooper, of the revenue cutter Corunn, also transmitted some 

 valuable collections from the Arctic Ocean, among them a species of 

 Coregonus from Point Barrow. 



Commander Beardslee, of the sloop of war Jamestown stationed at 

 Sitka, secured a number of desirable species. One of the most interest- 

 ing collections of the year was that made by Captain Bendire in the 

 interior waters of Washington Territory, in the course of a journey 



