58 EEPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 



will he seen that the number of known North American species of 

 birds amounts to nearly 720^ or about 225 more than given in 1844 

 by Mr. Audubon, and that nearly all are in the Smithsonian collection. 



The North American eggs and nests have been determined and 

 arranged in the hall, where they form a highly attractive feature. 

 The North American saurians have also been monographed and 

 described in detail to the number of about 90 species. This work is 

 still in manuscript. Much progress has also been made in a similar 

 memoir on the serpents, with the assistance of Mr. Kennicott. 

 Detailed accounts of the fishes coKected by the Mexican boundary and 

 Pacific railroad surveys, as also of the reptiles of the United States 

 exploring expedition, prepared by Dr. Girard, have been published 

 in their several reports. 



Other collections belonging to the Smithsonian museum, in process 

 of elaboration during the year, are as follows : 



Birds. — The report of Mr. Cassin on the birds of the United States 

 exploring expedition has been printed during the year. The same 

 gentleman has now the birds collected by Captain Page in Paraguay, 

 and those of the North Pacific expedition, and has nearly completed 

 rei)orts upon them. 



Bej'ytiles. — The collection of North American turtles was placed some 

 years ago in the hands of Professor Agassiz, from whom a detailed 

 account of them may shortly be expected. Dr. Hallowell has furnished 

 during the year a report on the reptiles of the North Pacific expedition. 



Fishes. — The fishes of the United States exploring expedition are in 

 the hands of Professor Agassiz for the preparation of a report, to be 

 published in the series of the expedition. The collection contains 

 many hundreds of new species. The fishes collected during the North 

 Pacific surveying and exploring expedition, under Captains Ringgold 

 and Rodgers, are in the hands of Mr. J. C. Brevoort. 



Invertebrates. — Mr. Stimpson has been occupied during the year in 

 investigating the Crustacea collected by him on the North Pacific 

 exploring expedition. Dr. A. A. Gould has also had in hand the 

 shells, and Mr. Barnard the echini of the same expedition. The 

 Neuroptera of the Smithsonian museum are in progress of examina- 

 tion by Dr. Hagen, of Konigsberg, the Coleoptera by Dr. Le Conte, 

 the Hymenoptera by Mr. De Saussure, the Diptera by Baron Osten- 

 sacken, the Hemiptera by Mr. Uhler. 



t Plants. — Large collections of plants collected by government expedi- 

 tions are still iu the hands of Drs. Torrey and Gray, Mr. SuUivant, 

 Mr. Curtis, and others. 



Geological Collections. — The collections made during Lieutenant 

 Warren's explorations of the Upper Missouri region have been in 

 progress of investigation during the year by Messrs. Hayden and Meek, 

 and those of Lieutenant Ives' expedition to the Colorado by Dr. New- 

 berry. 



Besides the scientific details connected witli the administration 

 of the Smithsonian museum and collections, much has been done 

 in regard to the mechanical portion, in addition to the more or less* 

 complete arrangement of the Patent Office series. A beginning has 

 been made in the cleaning of the mounted animals belonging to the 



