REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



Washington, D. C. A number of skulls and skeletons of American 

 Indians was added to the collection through the University of South 

 Dakota and the Bureau of American Ethnology. These specimens 

 are of much importance to the division. 



Mr. Hugo Worch, of Washington, D. C, added to the Worch col- 

 lection a copy of the Bach harpsichord and a dulcitone and 11 other 

 pianos illustrating the history of the pianoforte. Mrs. Gouverneur 

 Morris, of Washington, D. C, presented a piano handsomely deco- 

 rated by Cottier, of New York. 



A selection of rare oriental rugs from the collection of a con- 

 noisseur of Washington was hung in place of the collection pre- 

 viously on exhibit in the hall of art textiles. 



The section of ceramics received a set of Japanese porcelain given 

 Prof. Joseph Henry by the first Japanese minister to the United 

 States, a bequest from Miss Caroline Henry. Miss Freeman and 

 Mrs. B. H. Buckingham, of Washington, D. C, presented some richly 

 decorated Japanese plaques. 



Biology. — From the numerical standpoint, as well as from the 

 standpoint of the scientific interest of the collections, the year was 

 a very prosperous one for the department of biology. The outstand- 

 ing features of this year's accessions are the Australian collections 

 made by Mr. Charles M. Hoy, which were the result of Dr. W. L. 

 Abbott's continued interest in the Museum, and the great collection 

 of Japanese mollusks donated by Mr. Y. Hirase, of Kioto, Japan, one 

 of the most valuable accessions that has ever come to the division 

 of mollusks. Doctor Abbott is also responsible for the addition of an 

 important collection of birds and mammals made by Mr. C. Boden 

 Kloss in Siam, Cochin China, and Anam. While engaged in geo- 

 logical work in the Eocky Mountains, Secretary Walcott procured 

 for the Museum several desired Canadian mammals, including mule 

 deer and mountain goats. Another valuable accession is that of Dr. 

 J. P. Iddings's collection of butterflies and moths, presented by the 

 heirs of Doctor Iddings, consisting of about 2,500 named species, 

 mostly from the Tropics and mounted ready for exhibition. Through 

 the continued generosity of Mr. B. H. Swales, bird skins, represent- 

 ing 38 species and 7 genera not hitherto contained in the national 

 collection, were added. The botanical material accessioned during 

 the year embraced over 14,000 specimens from Haiti and Santo 

 Domingo, collected by Doctor Abbott and Mr. Leonard, besides a 

 large number of valuable collections both from the Old and the 

 New World. 



Geology. — The additions to the collections in this department 

 showed a marked increase over those recorded in any one of the past 

 15 years. The total number of accessions listed is 231, a gain of 51 



