REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 307 



Stejneger, Leonhard. — Contributions to the history of the Com- 

 mander Islands. No. 1. — Notes on the natural history, including 

 descriptions of new Cetaceaus. 



(Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VI, 1883, pp. 58-89.) 



Contains descriptions of Zij)hius Grebnitzkii and Berurduts Bairdii and notes 

 upon other species of mammals, also valnable contributions to ornithology. 



True, Frederick W. — On the bite of the North American coral snakes 

 (genus Elaps). 



(Amer. Nat., xvii, 1883, pp. 26-31.) 



That the bite of the Floridan coral suakes, Elaps fulrius, is poisonous is 

 proven by the symptoms which appeared in consequence of a wound in- 

 flicted by one of these serpents. Febrile symptoms lasted for about three 

 days and were followed by ulceration in the bitten finger. The pain also re- 

 turned from time to time after the normal condition of health had been re- 

 covered. From other apparently authentic cases cited it appears that the 

 bite of the coral snake may prove fatal to children and possibly even to 

 adults. 



Check list of the reserve and general series of North American 



tortoises. 



(Bull. U.S. Nat, Mus., No. 24, 1883. By H. C. Yarrow, M. D. Chelonian 

 taxonomy and critical preface by F. W. True. pp. 26-38.) 



The folk-lore of flowers. 



(Notes and Queries, 6th ser., vn, 1883, p. 146.) 



The date of the advent of certain species of fishes on the New England 

 coast is associated by some of the fishermen with the time of blooming of 

 different flowers. The scuppaug, for example, comes when the dandelions 

 begin to bloom, and the striped bass when the high blackberries are in blos- 

 som. 



The antedating of books. 



(Nation, xxxvi, 1883, p. 12.) 



Calls attention to the growiug practice of giving books published near the 

 close of the year the date of the succeeding year. 



On a cinnamon bear from Pennsylvania. 



(Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., v, 1883, pp. 653-656.) 



Allusions to the existence of a distinct species of American bear of a cin- 

 namon color are to be found in the literature of the past hundred years. The 

 opinion, however, that specimens of that color are simply the result of albi- 

 noism in the common black bear, Ursus americanus, seems now to be well 

 established, except, perhaps, so far as concerns the so-called cinnamon boar 

 of the northwestern region. In the bear obtained iu Pennsylvania is repre- 

 sented a condition of semi-albinoism which extends to all parts of the body. 

 The fur is of a clear, golden brown, while the naked portions of the body 

 and the eyes are also brown, but duller. 



On a pair of abnormal antlers of the Virginia deer. 



(Proc. U. S. Nat, Mus., VI, 1883, p. 151, 1 fig.) 



The specimen in question represents a pair of antlers in Avhich the tynes of 

 the left axis are normally developed, while ou the right side only a single, 

 long brow-tyne is present. 



Movement of the arms in walking. 



(Science, i, 1883, p. 11.) 



