REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 51 



Museum. About fifty mammals, which died from the effects of confine- 

 ment in the National Zoological Park, have been received. They were 

 chiefly representatives of North American species. From Dr. E. A. 

 Mearns, U. S. A., were received several small mammals from Fort Clark, 

 Tex., and FortMyer, Va., and Prof= E. E. Call donated between three 

 and four hundred bats, which he obtained from the Mammoth Cave in 

 Kentucky. 



Mr. True states that, while the accumulations of the year included 

 some very valuable specimens, so far as scientific value is concerned, 

 the general average is probably below that of the last three or four 

 years. The number of specimens received is also less. There were 

 fifty different contributors, four of which were Government Bureaus. 

 The total number of specimens received and entered was 1,048, includ- 

 ing 3(55 bats of one or two species only. 



Very little work was accomplished in the exhibition hall, owing to 

 the absence of the curator. A considerable number of specimens were 

 withdrawn for exhibition at the Cotton States and International Expo- 

 sition at Atlanta, but these were returned before the expiration of the 

 fiscal year. 



Eegarding the study collections the curator says: 



The study series lias not degeuerated, so far as I am aware. A large unmber of 

 skins liave been taken from the vats and made np dry, and many old but valuable 

 skius liave been made over. From the want of an nssistant, little has been done 

 towards classifying and putting away the larger skins. 



There are still many skins of the larger species which are in very bad form for 

 study purposes and ought to be made over, so that they can be handled. At present 

 they are stored in boxes. 



New cases were provided in the third-story laboratory, but little has yet been put 

 into them. 



Some progress was made in transferring the valuable study series of small skulls 

 from trays to boxes, but more remains to be done. 



The alcoholics have been looked after and roughly classified in the alcohol room, 

 but the lack of an assistant made it impossible to do much in that direction. 



A pai^er entitled "lievision of the American Moles,'' by the curator, 

 was completed and sent to press during the year. He has also con- 

 tinued his work on the "Antlers of the Deer Family," although this 

 has been constantly interrupted by special assignment to executive 

 duties. 



The curator calls attention in his rei)ort to several explorations 

 which have resulted in the acquisition of some very desirable material. 

 Tlius, Mr. D. W. Prentiss, jr., was detailed to accompany the curator 

 to tbe Pribilof Islands, Alaska, in the summer of 1895, and in the 

 three months spent there they collected eighty-eight mammals, a large 

 number of plants, some anatomical specimens, insects, birds, and other 

 natural-history objects. Among the mammals are fifteen fur-seals of 

 varying ages, including a very fine old bull. Dr. W. L. Abbott, who has 

 continued his travels in Ivaslimir, sent some very interesting mammals 

 to the Museum from that country. He also made a collecting trip in 

 southeastern Madagascar, and as a result a splendid series of skins of 



