18 ANNUAL REPOKT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 3 6 



Costa Rica, Puerto Rico; and over 1,100 archeological specimens from 

 Kodiak Island, Alaska, collected by Dr. A. Hrdlicka in 1934 and now 

 cataloged. 



Skeletal material comprised about 500 specimens, mostly from 

 Kodiak Island and from prehistoric graves in Crimea. 



Biology. — The Museum was singularly fortunate during the year 

 in acquiring older biological collections containing many type speci- 

 mens and otherwise important historical material that has served as 

 a basis for monographic studies by recognized authorities. Also 

 there was a marked increase in the number of species and genera 

 acquired not heretofore represented in the Museum. 



In mammals the outstanding addition was 465 specimens from 

 Africa, Asia, and South America, representing approximately 300 

 forms not previously available in our collections. Important bird 

 specimens (skins and skeletons), many of them types, came from 

 Siam, Rhodesia, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Honduras, West Africa, 

 and Chile. There was added, in particular, a skin of the South 

 Trinidad petrel {Pterodroma arminjoniana), the first received in 

 North America. The largest accession of amphibians and reptiles 

 of the year comprised 1,600 specimens from several south-central 

 States collected by Dr. C. E. Burt. The ichthyological collections 

 were enlarged by over 3,300 specimens, the most important single 

 one being a large sailfish caught oif Cocos Island, Costa Rica, by 

 President Franklin D. Roosevelt and presented by him. Large 

 series of fishes came from the Amazon River, as well as a representa- 

 tive lot from Virginia. Noteworthy among the insect accessions 

 may be mentioned the valuable Bovie collection of weevils received 

 as a gift from L. L. Buchanan; the Beutenmiiller collection of 

 Cynipidae ; 20,000 vials of ectoparasites of rodents received from the 

 National Institute of Health; the Alan S. Nicolay collection of 

 clerid beetles; 12,000 Chinese insects from the Rev. D. C. Graham; 

 and about 44,000 miscellaneous insects. Over 11,000 marine inverte- 

 brates of many kinds were added, including types of a number of new 

 species. The mollusks totaled over 50,000 specimens (including 

 13,135 collected by Dr. J. P. E. Morrison, of the Museum staff, dur- 

 ing several excursions into Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and 

 the Carolinas). Over 54,000 plant specimens were added from many 

 sources, outstanding among which was the large cactus collection of 

 the late David GriflSths. 



Geology. — Important acquisitions in mineralogy were obtained, 

 as in former years, through the income from the Canfield, Roebling, 

 and Chamberlain funds. An outstanding collection of Chilean min- 

 erals, including what proved to be six new species, was made for the 

 Canfield collection by Mark Bandy. The Roebling collection was 

 enhanced by much new mineral material obtained from various 



