AN ACCOUNT OF THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. 311 



egg; Harlan's, Krider's, and Short-tailed Hawks; Peale's, Ricliardson's, and Aplo- 

 mado; Elf, Flauimnlated, and Califoriiian Pigmy Owls; Carolina Paroquet; Ivory- 

 billed Woodpecker ; ^Vhite-throated and Vaux's Swifts ; Clarke's Nut-cracker, several 

 eggs ; Western Evening C4rosbeak ; American and Mexican Crossbills ; Pribilof Snow- 

 flake, several. Among the rare warblers may be mentioned: Brewster's, Virginia's, 

 Lucy's, Cape May, Olive, Sennett's, Grace's, Townsend's, Hermit, Golden-checked, 

 Gray, and Connecticut Warblers; Eio Grande and Belding's Yellow-throats; Red- 

 faced AVarblers. 



Of foreign eggs may be mentioned Kamtschatkan Sea Eagle, Quesal, etc. Also 

 various series of eggs, like those collected by Dr. Jerome H. Kidder on Kerguelen 

 Island, Dr. William L. Abbott in Africa, Seychelles Islands, Asia, etc. On some of 

 these reports have been made.' 



Of the Department of Keptiles and Batracliians, the curator, Dr. 

 Leouhard Stejneger, remarks: 



The distinctive characteristic of the reptile collection in the Museum is in the 

 completeness with which it illustrates the geograjjhical distribution and morphology 

 of the species inhabiting North America. In this respect it stands unrivaled. As 

 the depository of the types of the species described hy Baird, Girard, Kennicott, 

 Cope, and other distinguished American herpetologists it also takes first rank. 



The importance of the individual collections must therefore be judged with refer- 

 ence to their richness in such types and the advance in our knowledge of the reptiles 

 and batrachians of this continent that has ensued. The collections which have 

 undoubtedly contributed most in these respects are those of the Pacific Railroad sur- 

 veys, the first Mexican-United States Boundary Survey, and the Wilkes Exjiloring 

 Expedition. 



The collection of fishes are almost exclusively North American, with 

 one notable exception in the case of the deep-sea fishes dredged by 

 the United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross in the North 

 Atlantic and North Pacific. The latter collection is of equal importance 

 with that of the Challenger expedition, if it does not surpass the same, 

 and formed the basis of the recent work of Dr. Goodeand Dr. Bean on 

 "Oceanic Ichthyology." 



The department contains the most extensive collections of fresh- 

 water and littoral fishes of the United States anywhere assembled, con- 

 sisting chiefly of the great series formed by the United States Fish 

 Commission, supplemented by the collections of many American nat- 

 uralists. The collection of Alaskan fishes is very large and is not 

 extensively duplicated elsewhere. 



The series of fishes collected in connection with the Pacific Railroad 

 surveys and the first Mexican Boundary Survey are of special impor- 

 tance as containing the types of a large proportion of the species of 

 the middle and western United States. They have been supplemented 

 in recent years by important series collected under the auspices of the 

 Fish Commission and by private collectors. 



' Contributions to the Natural History of Kerguelen Island, made in connection 

 with the American Trausit-of-Venus P:xpediti(>n, 1874-75, being Bulletin No. 3, United 

 States National Museum. Also " Description of Nests and Eggs of some New Birds, 

 collected on the Island of Aldabra, Northwest of Madagascar, by Dr. W. L. Abbott." 

 Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Vol. XVII, 1894, pages 39-41. 



