44 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



Prof. O. F. Cook, of the U. S. National Museum; a number of reptiles, 

 chiefly from Australia, received in exchange from the Australian 

 Museum, Sydney, New South Wales; two lots of material collected by 

 Dr. W. L. Abbott in Lower Siam ; a collection of reptiles and batra- 

 chians from Madagascar, obtained by purchase; a series from Yesso 

 Island, Japan, presented by S. Nozawa, Sapporo, Japan; a number of 

 lizards from Hawaii, trans* itted by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, and a col- 

 lection of the same character from Mr. Yaldemar Knudsen. Doctor 

 Stejneger collected reptiles and batrachians in Jaj)an and the Hawaiian 

 Islands, and material from Japan was also received from the Science 

 College Museum, Tokio. 



Mr. William Palmer, Mr. D. W. Prentiss, jr., and Mr. Paul Bartsch 

 collected material in the Dismal Swamp, Virginia. 



The collections were examined systematically on two occasions, and 

 the alcohol replenished and strengthened as required. 



A paper by Doctor Stejneger on a new species of Guillemot from the 

 Kurile Islands was published in the Auk of April, 1897. 



The number of specimens received and entered during the year was 

 1,158, the total number now in the collection being placed at 36,777. 



DEPARTMENT OF FISHES. 



Dr. Tarleton H. Bean continues to act as honorary curator of this 

 department, although Mr. Barton A. Bean, the assistant curator, has 

 practically had charge of the department during the year. 



During the year there were 30 accessions to the collection, four of 

 which were " temporary." The total number of accessions last year 

 was 22. So far as scientific value is concerned, the material received 

 compares favorably with that acquired during the preceding year. A 

 series of fishes obtained by the steamer Albatross in tlie vicinity of the 

 Hawaiian Islands, off the coast of Lower California, and in the vicinity 

 of the Galapagos Islands, was received from the U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion. The commission also transmitted a collection of types and 

 cotypes of 41 species of fislies from the west coast of North America, 

 and a series of specimens from the Colorado and Columbia rivers, 

 including several types. Prof. Seth E. Meek, of the Field Columbian 

 Museum, presented a fine series of fishes collected by himself in the 

 Bay of Naples. Material was received in exchange from the Austra- 

 lian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, and from the Museum of Nat- 

 ural History, I^yous, France. A series of fishes from the vicinity of 

 Yesso Island was presented by Mr. S. Nozawa, by whom they were col- 

 lected. An interesting collection obtained in 1892 and 1894 in Mexico 

 by Messrs. Nelson and Goldman, of the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, was turned over to the Museum. Prof. O. F. Cook collected a few 

 fishes during his recent trip to Liberia. 



The study series has been increased during the year by the addition 



