REPORT OF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 71 



send in valuable collections obtained by their representatives in the 

 field. 



A large lot of invei-tebrates collected by the naturalists of the steamer 

 Albatross in recent years on the coasts of California, Japan, and 

 Kamchatka and in the Bering Sea should receive special notice. 



A large series of land shells collected in Mexico by the Biological 

 Survey constitutes an addition of more than ordinary value. 



The expedition made by Mr. E. P. Carrie in the neighborhood of 

 Mount Coft'ee, Liberia, West Africa, under the auspices of the Museum 

 and with the valuable assistance of Prof. O. F. Cook, of the Colonization 

 Society, resulted in the acquisition of a large number of insects, spiders, 

 and myriapods, numbering in all about 5,000 specimens, and some 

 valuable reptiles, birds, and mammals. Dr. Leonhard Stejnege-r, while 

 pursuing investigations on the Commander Islands as a member of the 

 Fur Seal Commission, collected birds, insects and other animals for the 

 Museum. Of the insects 28 were found to represent new species and 

 others were very rare. Mr. Robert Ridgway made an exploration for 

 the Museum in the vicinity of Lake Okechobee, Florida, and obtained 

 a considerable number of rare birds. 



Mr. J. N. Rose was engaged for four months in the summer and fall 

 of 1897 in making a botanical collection in western and central Mexico. 

 He visited a little known part of the country and succeeded in bringing 

 back a large and valuable collection of plants. The collection includes 

 more than 0,000 specimens and contains more than 100 species new to 

 science. Mr. Rose also succeeded in obtaining some interesting ethno- 

 logical specimens, including spinners, reels, etc., used by the natives in 

 converting cotton and Agave fiber into thread, strings, and rojje. This 

 collection also includes native cups, spoons, mats, hats, ropes, etc. In 

 each case botanical specimens were obtained which show definitely the 

 origin of the products. 



Early in March an opportunity was presented for a botanist to accom- 

 pany an expedition to the Keys of south Florida, undertaken by Messrs. 

 E. L. Morris and G. N. Collins for the purpose of making general scien- 

 tific collections. Mr. Pollard was authorized by the Acting Assistant 

 Secretary in charge of the Museum to accompany the expedition, leave 

 of absence for two months on full pay being granted him on condition 

 that the Museum receive a set of the botanical specimens obtained, and 

 that it should not assume payment of transportation or other expenses. 

 On March 4 Mr. Pollard proceeded directly with his companions to Key 

 West; the party there engaged a boat and made a complete circuit of 

 the Keys, reaching Miami, on the coast of Florida, April 5. After a 

 week spent at the latter place, the expedition returned by steamer to 

 Key West and thence to Washington. About 250 species of plants were 

 obtained. These have since been determined by Mr. Pollard and will 

 form the subject-matter of a report to be presented for publication at 

 an early date. 



