62 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1902. 



ACCESSIONS. 



The largest accessions of the 3'ear were Dr. W\ L. Abbott's East 

 Indian collections; a collection of insects from Arizona, comprising 

 65,000 specimens, made by Mr. E. A. Schwarz; the bequest of Dr. 

 Charles Mohr, consisting of 18,500 flowering plants, and the collec- 

 tions of invertebrates transmitted bj^ the U. 8. Fish Commission. 



Dr. W. L. Abbott continued his zoological explorations in the East 

 Indies during the year, making numsrous interesting discoveries, and 

 sending to the Museum great numbers of valuable specimens, espe- 

 cially manmials, ])irds, reptiles, and ijisects. Dr. Abbott's field of 

 operations during the j'ear was in the South China Sea, between 

 Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and Borneo. Three months (January 

 to March, 1901) he spent in exploring the Andaman and Nicobar 

 islands, accompanied by Mr. C. B. Kloss. From May 26 to August 

 7, 1901, he visited various groups of small islands immediately east of 

 Singapore and also the coast and rivers of Johore. In August and 

 September, 1901, he explored the Indragiri River, Sumatra, and the 

 neighboring islands Linga and Sinkep. Linga Island had been 

 visited b}" him previously in July, 1899, on which occasion he was 

 accompanied by Mr. C. B. Kloss. 



From the Andaman and Nicobar islands Dr. AlJ:)ott sent to the 

 Museum 278 mammals, among which were specimens of 15 new 

 species. This collection is by far the most complete ever brought 

 together from these islands and greatly increased the knowledge of 

 their mannnal fauna. In Sumatra and Linga and Sinkep islands 166 

 mammals were obtained, including representatives of 11 new species. 

 Among the latter was a new pig related to the Borneo pig {Sics har- 

 hatiis)^ and named Siis o! by Mr. G. S. Miller, ji-. It is one of the most 

 interesting of Dr. Al)bott's many discoveries in the Malay I'egion. 

 From Johore and various islands to the eastward Dr. Abbott obtained 

 401 mammals for the Museum. This material has not yet been 

 thoroughly examined, but is known to be extremely valuable. The 

 great collections of mammals of the East Indies resulting from Dr. 

 Al)b()tt''s extensive and long-continued ex})lorations are unrivaled, and 

 the mammal fauna of the region which they cover can now be studied 

 to better advantage in the National Museum than in any other 

 establishment. 



Besides mammals, Dr. Abbott collected over 700 birds, a large series 

 of eggs of the Nicobar Island Megapode, Megapodius nicaharensis^ 

 reptiles and batrachians, and numerous insects. The reptiles and 

 batrachians are the first the Museum has received from the Nicobar 

 and Andaman islands. 



Dr. A, Donaldson Smith presented 6 African antelopes and 2 mon- 

 keys, and also 81 birds, from Somaliland, the first from that region 

 which the Museum has received. 



