REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 85 



niamnials, 763 birds, and 125 batrachians, together with insects and 

 other invertebrates. Thej^ are of great interest to the Museum, since 

 the}' contain many species new to science, as well as a variet}' of 

 others previously unrepresented hero. Their value for scientitic pur- 

 poses is much enhanced by the accurate* and thorough manner in which 

 they are labeled by Dr. Abbott. 



While with the Harriman Alaska expedition Mr. Ridgwa}' obtained 

 over 300 birds and Mr. Dall collected a considerable number of inter- 

 esting mollusks. The collection of insects presented by Mr. Harriman 

 numbers over 4,000 specimens, and is probably the largest and most 

 complete collection of Alaska insects ever brought together. It con- 

 tains many new forms and a large series of species from boreal 

 America not previously represented in the Museum. The collecting 

 was done by Mr. Trevor Kincaid, of the University of Washington. 



Sir Charles Eliot, British Samoan commissioner, presented to the 

 Museimi an excellent series of shells and naked mollusks. and a large 

 number of other invertebrates, which he collected in Samoa. 



The zoological collectors sent out by the Institution in the interest 

 of the Pan-American Exposition to Cuba and Porto Rico obtained a 

 large amount of interesting material. Doctors Stejneger and Richmond 

 collected 250 birds, 549 reptiles and batrachians, 126 bats, and a ([uan- 

 tity of insects, crustaceans, earthworms, and other specimens. Messrs. 

 J. H. Rile}' and William Palmer in Cul)a, at the close of the year, had 

 collected 509 bats, 298 birds, 209 reptiles and batrachians, a large 

 number of fishes, more than 1,700 insects, besides other invertebrates, 

 and plants and specimens of other kinds. 



The most important purchase of the year was the Goodfellow collec- 

 tion of humming birds, comprising about 1,200 specimens. Many 

 species are represented by series of from 10 to 20 skins. The skins 

 are admirably prepared and yery fully labeled. A large number of 

 the species was previously unrepresented in the collection. 



Another purchase of importance was the Marx collection of spiders, 

 containing several thousand specimens, chieHy North American, and 

 including numerous types and co-types of described species. 



An especially noteworthy specimen obtained this year was the skel- 

 eton of the recently-discovered Marsupial Mole, JVotoryctes, which was 

 received in exchange from the University College, Dundee. 



Endeavors to add to the Museum collection of bats have been very 

 successful. Mr. Ernest T. Giers presented 88 specimens from the 

 island of Trinidad. Lieut. J. W. Daniel, jr., presented 46 specimens 

 from Cuba; 196 specimens from Curacao were purchased from ]Mr. 

 Leon J. Guthrie. Mr. P. McDonough presented 29 specimens from 

 the Barbados, and Mr. L. M. McConnick presented 17 specimens 

 from the Philippine Islands. In addition, the collectors for the Pan- 

 American Exposition (as al)oye stated) obtained 126 specimens in Porto 

 Rico and 509 in Cuba. Altogetlnn-, therefore, over 1,000 specmiens 

 of bats have been added during the j'ear. 



