34 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



was not received at the Museum until after the 1st of July. (For a dts- 

 tailed account of this collection see Museum lieport, 1884, p. 129.) 



At the beginning of the year an office and a commodious laboratory 

 in the southwest pavilion of the Museum building were assigned to this 

 department. The collections are thereby made more accessible than 

 formerly. 



Department of Birds.— Mr. Eidgway, curator of birds, reports that by 

 direction he prepared for exhibition at the New Orleans World's Cotton 

 Exposition a collection of North American game birds, numbering 163 

 finely mounted specimens, and representing nearly all the species. The 

 exhibit was at first intended to be much more comprehensive, the original 

 plan being to exhibit all the known species of North American birds, so 

 far as they could be secured, together with typical groups to illustrate 

 the avian fauna of the several zoo- geographical divisions of the earth's 

 surface. To this end more than 700 specimens were mounted on special 

 contract, it being impossible to make up a suitable collection from the 

 birds already mounted. The collection had been nearly completed on the 

 original plan when it became necessary, on account of the limited space 

 available, to make the great reduction which ensued. This collection 

 was installed by Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, assistant curator, who for the 

 purpose left Washington January 3, and returned on the 16th of the 

 month. Dr. Stejneger reports that " in regard to completeness, perfec- 

 tion of mounting and preseuvation, scientific exactness, and popular iu- 

 structiveness," this collection " was superior to any other ornithological 

 exhibit at the exposition." The collection filled two double Museum 

 cases, fitted with two rows of terraced shelves, the exhibition surface 

 amounting to a little over 600 square feet. Each specimen was mounted 

 on a stand of polished black walnut, and provided with a printed label 

 on which were printed in large, clear type both the scientific and popular 

 names. The curator also calls attention to the " American Ornitholo- 

 gists' Union," which was formed at the urgent request of the various 

 ornithological interests of the country for the main purpose of harmon- 

 izing existing differences in the nomenclature of North American birds, 

 and thereby removing the most serious obstacle to the study of ornithol- 

 ogy. At the meeting of organization in New York City a " committee on 

 classification and nomenclature" was formed, of which the curator of the 

 department of birds of the United States National Museum was made a 

 member j and this committee, in pursuance of a call from the chairman, 

 held a meeting in Washington, from the 15th to the 23d of April, inclu- 

 sive, in the office of this department, the collections of which were ap- 

 pealed to in all cases where there was a difference of opinion among mem- 

 bers of the committee, and many perplexing problems were settled to the 

 satisfaction of the committee as a whole. The importance to ornithol- 

 ogy of this meeting, together with one held the previous year in the office 

 of this department, can scarcely be overstated, the whole subject of zo- 

 oloj^ical nomenclature having been exhaustively reviewed and a care- 



