REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 27 



Professor Nation, an eminent naturalist of Peru, has sent some types 

 of rare and uudescribed species of birds of that country. 



Dr. William K. Crawford, of the U. S. S. " Shenandoah," has also 

 contributed some rare shells from the west coast of Terra del Fuego and 

 the Straits of Magellan. 



Europe. — Large numbers of articles, both Iti single and collective 

 series, have been received from Europe, but as being derived from pub- 

 lic museums and not having any specially geographical significance, are 

 not mentioned here, but will be enumerated in detail in the rejiort of 

 the Assistant Director of the National Museum. 



It may, however, be well to refer to the arrangement made with Mr. 

 J. Gwyn Jeffries, of London, by which his magnificent collection of 

 recent and fossil shells of Europe has been acquired by the National 

 Museum and in large part received by it, several boxes of specimens 

 coming to hand during the year 1884. This is by far the most valu- 

 able i^rivate collection of European shells in existence, and especially 

 important in possessing so many types of the deep-sea species dredged 

 in the North Atlantic, and of great value for the determination of the 

 collections of the United States Fish Commission. 



Among contributors to the European collections may be mentioned 

 the Eoyal College of Surgeons, the South Kensington Museum, the 

 British Museum, the Eoyal Botanical Gardens at Kew, in England; the 

 Museums of Berlin and Dresden, in Germany; of Copenhagen, in Den- 

 mark; of Bergen, in Norway, &c. 



Asia. — The collections from Asia have been of unusual significance 

 and importance. Eeference has already been made to the accessions 

 from Kamtchatka and the Commander Lslauds as having been obtained 

 through the efibrts of Dr. Stejneger, whose j)ersonal collections in those 

 countries were dwelt ui^on in the last report. 



Mr. P. L. Jouy, a former employe of the National Museum, and resi- 

 dent Jbr a number of years in Japan, continued his researches in that 

 country, and has supplied a large number of species of mammals and 

 birds of that region, together with other species of animals. The col- 

 lection of birds being taken in connection with a series presented by 

 Mr. Thomas Blackiston, who spent many years in Japan, gives to the 

 National Museum one of the most complete collections of Japanese 

 birds in existence, and one great in value in view of their relationships 

 to the birds of Western North America. Mr. Jouy has since trans- 

 ferred the field of his researches to Corea, although none of his collec- 

 tions have so far come to hand. 



Eev. C. H. A. Dall has furnished some samples of fibers and other na- 

 tive products of the Indian, and the greater part of the exhibit of the 

 Foreign Exhibition in Boston made by Ceylon ; while a very valuable 

 collection of musical instruments of East India, and other objects rep- 

 resenting a high money value, were contributed by the Eajah of Tagore. 



