REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 21 



of the guano deposits ia the Gulf of California are the only noteworthy 

 items in connection with the ornithology of this region. Angel Island 

 in the Gulf, was found to be the dwelling-place of two extremely rare 

 Arizouian reptiles. In regard to fish, two more species are added to the 

 number of those that are common to both the Atlantic and Pacific 

 shores of the American continent. 



The eighth number of tbe Bulletin is an index to the names which 

 have been applied, previous to the year 1877, to the subdivisions of the 

 class Brachiopoda excluding the Rudistes, by William H. Ball, of the 

 United States Coast Survey. The Brachiopods are among the most 

 characteristic forms by which geological strata are co-ordinated. Many 

 genera have been described in little-known works by European authors, 

 and many others in obscure American publications. Mostof the names ai)- 

 plied to these genera are duplications of one another. American and Euro- 

 pean authors have been retarded in their classification of the Brachiopods 

 by this undigested synonymy. Mr. W. H. Dall has collected the his- 

 tory of all the names which have been applied to members of this group 

 both j)roperly and improperly, and added notes on their synonymy, rela- 

 tions and a geological table of the strata in which each group is 

 found. This index affords the means for properlj^ naming the national 

 collection of these fossils, and it has received the approbation of Mr. 

 Thomas Davidson, F. R. S., of England, the highest authority living 

 on the subject of Brachiopoda. It is shown by this list that of sixteen 

 families of Brachiopods, sis have living representatives, one more than 

 appear to have been represented during the Cambrian epoch, while but 

 two of the Cambrian ftimilies have survived. All those living in Creta- 

 ceous times have endured till now. All now living had Paleozoic rep- 

 resentatives, while half the Paleozoic families do not appear to have 

 survived the changes which introduced the Mezozoic time. This work 

 is an octavo of 88 pages. 



The ninth Bulletin is entitled " Contributions to North American 

 Ichthyology based primarily on the collections of the United States 

 National Museum. Part I. Review of Rafinesque's IMemoirs on North 

 American Fishes." By Prof. D. S. Jordan. The olrject of the author of 

 this paper is to present a series of identifications of the species of fresh- 

 water fishes described by Rafinesque in his " Ichthyologia Ohiensis " 

 and elsewhere, the result of nearly three years of field-work in the region 

 explored by Rafinesque. It forms an octavo pamphlet of 53 pages. 



Annual report. — The annual report of the operations of the Institution 

 for the year 187G, was presented to Congress on the IGth day of Feb- 

 ruary, 1877, and on the 28th of February a resolution was adoj)ted by 

 Congress ordering an edition to be printed of 10,500 copies, of which 

 1,000 were to be for the use of the Senate, 3,000 for the House of Rep- 

 resentatives, and G,500 for the use of the Institution. This was a reduc- 

 tion in the number usually ordered for distribution by the Institution of 

 1,000 copies. 



