REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 7 



risk tweuty-two specimens were killed and preserved in the finest pos- 

 sible condition, and at the same time the chief taxidermist was aflbrded 

 a fine opportunity for making life studies of the species. The finest 

 and largest of the eight bulls was actually studied and sketched as he 

 stood on the prairie, wounded and at bay, only 30 yards distant. 



In addition to the splendid series of skins of all ages and sexes thus 

 collected, which in view of the almost complete extinction of the species 

 we may fairly consider of almost priceless value, the party collected 

 sixteen complete skeletons, fifty-one dry skulls, two fcetal young in 

 alcohol, and a very fine series of skins and skeletons of prong-horn 

 antelope, coyote, and a few deer. A fine collection of skeletons of birds 

 of all species found was also made for the department of comparative 

 anatomy. 



This exploration has not only yielded a collection of great value to 

 the National Museum, and such as could not have been obtained in any 

 other way, but it has also secured to science a large number of valuable 

 duplicates such as will be eagerly sought after a very few years hence, 

 when the last specimen of Bos americanus has been slaughtered. In- 

 deed, so rapidly is the destruction of our great game animals being 

 prosecuted in every part of the United States, it is a sad certainty that 

 in a very few years the elk, mountain sheep, goat, deer, moose, and 

 other forms will have totally disappeared. In view of this prospect, 

 more stringent measures of game protection and preservation are loudly 

 called for. 



A full report of the above exploration and its results will be found 

 in the Keport of the U. S. i^ational Museum, already referred to. 



Other fields of exploration. — A proposal was made (August 2, 1886) to 

 Mr. C. H. Townsend that he undertake an exploration of the Swan Isl- 

 ands, in the Caribbean Sea (belonging to the Pacific Guano Company), 

 said to abound in land birds in great variety, and also in large iguana 

 and other reptiles, in the belief that the exploration of these islands 

 will attbrd an excellent opportunity for a naturalist to make a mono- 

 graph of great interest. Messrs. Glidden & Curtis having made a cour- 

 teous oft'er to accommodate a naturalist on board of one of their vessels 

 about to sail for that region, due acknowledgment was made for the 

 favor; and later, additional thanks were called for (November 15, 1886) 

 by their placing one of their vessels at Mr. Townsend's disposal, for the 

 reception of such collections as he might secure for the ^S'ational Mu- 

 seum. 



An appropriation was made to assist Mr. J. A. McXiel in collecting 

 antiquities from the Isthmus of Panama for the National Museum. 



The acquisition for the ethnological collections, of the Easter Island 

 idol, and of other interesting articles, will be fully detailed in the Ee- 

 port, Part II, devoted tc the condition of the National Museum. 



