REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 53 



Philadelphia ; general collections of rayriapoda. Professor Jeffries 

 Wymau, Cambridge ; skulls of Pacific coast Indians. The insects have 

 been sent to the Entomological Society of Philadelphia to be iden- 

 tified and preserved. 



Professor Baird has continued, as other duties would permit, his 

 investigations in regard to the birds of America, of which 450 pages 

 have already been printed, under the title of "Review of American 

 Birds in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution." The object of 

 this work is to define the absolute and comparative characters of the 

 birds of America, and especially to trace with minute detail their 

 distribution during the breeding season, and the extent and character 

 of their migrations. He has also been engaged in digesting and col- 

 lating for publication by the Institution the mass of original notes 

 contributed by Mr. Kennicott, Mr. MacFarlane, Mr. Ross, and others, 

 relative to the natural history of the regions north of the United 

 States, which are believed to embody much original information. 



The records of the Institution have also been largely drawn upon 

 for materials required by part 2 of the North American Oology of 

 Dr. Brewer. As explained in previous reports, the object of this work 

 also is to present, in addition to the description of the nests and eggs 

 of the species, a complete account of their habits and geographical 

 distribution during the breeding season. 



For the promotion of these objects, circulars and pamphlets con- 

 taining the necessary instruction to collectors have been issued for 

 several j'ears past, and large returns obtained, which will greatly 

 extend our present knowledge. The notes containing information 

 attached to the specimens received by the Institution have been 

 carefully transcribed, and systematically arranged, so as to supply 

 conveniently any information required on the subjects referred to. 



In all cases in which specimens have been presented or lent to 

 investigators for facilitating their researches, or enabling them to 

 pursue certain lines of investigation, it is required that full credit for 

 the favor conferred, as far as the facts may justif}' it, shall be given 

 to the Institution by the authors in their resulting publications. In 

 most cases this recognition has been fully complied with, but in a 

 few we are sorry to say the acknowledgments have not been of the 

 character or extent to which the Institution was entitled. 



The distribution of the duplicate specimens of the collections has 

 been carried on as rapidly as practicable during the year. The most 

 important series sent off have consisted of skins and eggs of arctic birds, 

 skins of mammals, shells, minerals, and ethnological specimens. The 



