306 Mr. O. Salvin's Visit to the 



several visits to the American Museum of Natural History 

 in New York ; and I spent an afternoon at Vassar College, a 

 day at Philadelphia, half a day each with Dr. S. Cabot in 

 Boston and Dr. T. K. Merritt in Flushing, several days in 

 the Museum of the Boston Society of Natural History, and a 

 morning at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard 

 College. Everywhere I was treated with the utmost kind- 

 ness and courtesy, and the freest access was given me to all 

 the specimens I wished to examine. 



The Collection of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The extent of the ornithological collection (unique of its 

 kind) in this museum is well known. At present the arrange- 

 ment is in a transition state, and the specimens are scattered 

 and cramped for room. When ultimately put in order, with 

 space enough for its display, this collection will stand quite 

 alone as illustrating the omis of the North American continent. 

 Central America is also largely represented ; and the museum 

 contains many valuable collections from South America. 

 In addition to these the mounted series includes the birds col- 

 lected during Capt. Wilkes's and Capt. Gilliss's Exploring Ex- 

 peditions, the types of the species described by Peale andCassin. 



My interest, however, was concentrated upon the Central 

 and South American skins, and in an examination of the types 

 of the species described by Prof. Baird and Mr. Lawrence 

 during the last ten or twelve years. In my search I had the 

 advantage of Prof. Baird's and Mr, Bidgway's most cordial 

 assistance. Dr. Elliott Coues, too, helped me much, espe- 

 cially with reference to many North American species, little 

 known or unknown to me. 



The following notes only include a portion of those I 

 made, but relate to species about which I can write with 

 confidence : — 



Dendr(eca capitalis, Lawr, Proc. Ac. Phil. 18G8, p. 359. 



Barbadoes. This species is almost as widely separated 

 from the closely allied forms of D. petechia as is the conti- 

 nental D. vieilloti. The rufous of the ci'own is very distinctly 



