REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 67 



of well-arranged and preserved collections of the natural history of that 

 country. The most important of these is a series of the fishes, partly 

 preserved in alcohol and partly dried. These came in excellent condi- 

 tion and has been accurately identified by Japanese naturalists attached 

 to the Museum. Already over two hundred species have been furnished, 

 constituting an extremely valuable means of investigating the fishes of 

 the North Pacific coast. Their particular importance is in their relation- 

 ship in illustration of the ichthyology of the waters of the western coast 

 of the United States. 



These specimens were furnished by the Mombusho or Educational 

 Museum of Tokio, which has also supplied a large series of minerals and 

 rocks of the country. 



A very valuable collection of the fishes of Norway was presented to 

 the Institution by the University of Christiania, as prepared by Profes- 

 sor Esimark, at the request of Mr. Robert Collett, a correspondent of the 

 Institution. These are particularly acceptable as furnishing the means 

 of comparison with the many species obtained from the off-shore fishing- 

 grounds by American fishermen. 



From the National Museum of the City of Mexico some very interest- 

 ing articles have been received in exchange, principally of an archaeo- 

 logical character. 



An important exchange of birds with the American Museum of Natu- 

 ral History in New York will be found mentioned further on. 



The additions to the museum from the operations of government 

 parties, or those fitted out in whole or in part by the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, will be found in a brief mention under the head of Explorations. 

 The details, as also those of the miscellaneous contributions, are given 

 in the alphabetical list of donors and their donations. 



Mammals. — The collections of mammals sent by Mr. Turner and Mr. 

 Nelson, from Alaska, and by Lieutenant Wheeler, of the Engineers, 

 from Colorado, &c, are most important. 



Birds. — Of birds, an extremely valuable donation of 205 species and 

 318 specimens was made by the American Museum of Natural History 

 in New York; these being for the most part either specimens not rep- 

 resented in the National Museum or in better condition than any it had 

 been able to procure. A suitable return will be made in duplicate birds 

 and other objects. 



The collections of birds made by Mr. Nelson and Mr. Turner, already 

 referred to under the head of Explorations, are of very great interest, 

 embracing, as they do, large numbers of excellent specimens. 



Lieutenant Wheeler is also to be mentioned in this series for his 

 deposit of many valuable skins beautifully prepared by Mr. Henshaw, 

 constituting part of the collections of the United States Geographical 

 Survey of the One-hundreth Meridian. 



The birds collected by Mr. Eidgway at Cobb's Island, mentioned 

 under the head of explorations, were also of much value. 



