64 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1902. 



of the occurrence, and a preparator was detailed to obtain the skeleton. 

 Through the good offices of Capt. James Sodermann the specimen was 

 held for the Museum. It proved to be the ziphioid, or bottlenose, 

 whale, Ziphiuhi cavvro^tri^. The specimen was adult, and the skeleton 

 is I'emarkably line. 



The Museum obtained by purchase about 275 specimens of obscure 

 and little-known species of small mammals from Germany; 104 mam- 

 mals of Ecuador, including- an undescribed species of native cat, named 

 Fells xquatorialls^ by Dr. E. A. Mearns, and 60 Asiatic squirrels 

 especially needed for comparison with Dr. Abbott's collection. Four- 

 teen moose skulls, 8 elk skulls, and 12 skulls of other deer were 

 obtained at a nominal price from Mr. E. Thompson Seton. 



Birds. — A valuable series of East Indian birds, 281 in number, which 

 are of special use for comparison with Dr. Abbott's collection, was 

 obtained from the Royal Museum of Natural History, Leiden, in 

 exchange. A series of 161 Brazilian birds was obtained by exchange 

 with the Paulista Museum, Silo Paulo, Brazil. Mr. Anastasio Alfaro 

 presented 12 birds from Cocos Island, a locality seldom visited. This 

 sending includes several specimens of the rare sparrow Cocornls agassizi. 

 Mr. R. D. Lusk presented a specimen of th(^. thick-billed parrot, Bhyn- 

 chojpsitta paciiyrhyncha^ obtained in Arizona. This parrot had not 

 been taken previously within the limits of the United States. Mr. 

 H. W. Ilenshaw presented 14 rare Hawaiian ])irds, and Mr. A. Boucard 

 added K! humming ])irds in continuation of his earlier donations in 

 1895 and 1896. Mr. J. H. Riley ga,ve the Museum a collection of 286 

 birds of Maryland and Virginia for use in exchanges. 



The Museum purchased a select collection of 105 much-needed Mexi- 

 can birds. 



Btrds' eggs. — The great collection of birds' eggs received several 

 important accessions during the year, besides those presented by Dr. 

 Abbott and already mentioned (p. 62). Dr. Ralph added to his numer- 

 ous donations of previous years a collection containing several sets of 

 eggs of the rare Everglade Kite, RostrJiaums sociabills. A series of 

 eggs from Texas, including those of Yireo atricapillus., was given by 

 Mr. H. P. Attwater. A collection presented by Mr. J. P. Bab1)itt 

 contained eggs of Larus sc/ustasagus, a species of whic^h the Museum 

 lacked specimens. 



The Biological Surve}'^ of the Department of Agriculture transmitted 

 a number of sets of eggs from different parts of the United States, 

 including two sets of eggs of the Tennessee warbler, of which the 

 Museum had no representative previously. A small collection of 

 rare eggs from Arizona was purchased. 



Reptiles and hatrachians. — An excellent skeleton of the Giant Sala- 

 mander of Japan was presented by Dr. C, Ishikawa. 



