REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 9 



laud and the other fishing banks still nearer to the coast of New Eng- 

 land. The result of these explorations, when published, will be found 

 to be of much practical benefit and will add greatly to our informg,tion. 



New Mexico and Arizona. — Mr. E. W. Nelson has continued his work 

 in connection with the archaeology and natural history of Arizona, and 

 has sent in a large number of boxes of valuable collections. 



Dr. E. W. Shufeldt, at Fort Wingate, N. Mex., has also supplied 

 much interesting material. 



Dr. F. W. Taylor has sent some rare minerals and fossils from the 

 vicinity of Lake Valley. 



Mexico and Loioer California. — Mr. L. H. Aym6, to whom reference 

 has been made in previous reports, has continued his explorations and 

 investigations into the natural history and ethnology of Western Mexico, 

 and has contributed much material to the National Museum. 



Professor Dug6s, of Guanajato, has also sent in a number of interest- 

 ing specimens for identification. 



Dr. Edward Palmer was sent to make explorations into the ethnology 

 of the regions in the vicinity of Chihuahua, and was enabled by the 

 courtesy of Mr. A. E. Shepherd to acquire many interesting articles in 

 the neighborhood of Batopilas. 



The investigations of Mr. Charles H. Townsend in regard to the oc- 

 currence of the great seal, known as the sea-elephant, were crowned 

 with success, some eight or ten specimens having been obtained and 

 forwarded to the National Museum. It is confidently asserted that these 

 represent the last of the race and that we may fairly consider the species 

 as extinct on our coast. 



Central and South America. — Prof. Miles Eock, who was appointed by 

 the Government of Guatemala as astronomer in the boundary survey 

 between Guatemala and Mexico, kindly offered his services to make 

 photographs and collections of any interesting objects he might find, 

 and has already fulfilled his promise by the transmission of a large 

 amount of material, including photographs, specimens of birds, and ob- 

 jects of archaeology. 



Mr. J. C. Zeledon, of Costa Eica, has also continued the transmissions 

 begun by him many years ago, and has supplied the National Museum 

 with an almost complete collection of the vertebrate animals of that 

 country. 



Dr. "W. H. Jones, of the United States Navy, was very successful in 

 archfEological research on the coast of Peru and Chili, and the specimens 

 received from him are among the most highly prized of the articles in 

 the National Museum. 



Mr. George Kiefer, of Lima, has also made contributions of the same 

 character. 



Europe. — Mr. Thomas Wilson, late consul at Nice, France, has been 

 busy during the greater part of his olflcial t«rm as consul, first at Nantes 



