VI.-REPORT UPON THE OEPARTMENT OF HEPPETOLOGY IN 

 THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR THE YEAR 1884. 



By H. C Yarrow, M. P., Honnr<iry Ciiriitor. 



Dnring the past year, us in previous years, tlie Deparfnieiil of Kep- 

 "tiles has beeu abundantly favored by many contributors whose interest 

 III lierpetology has led them to make valuable and extensive collections, 

 and both the reserve and general series have been consequently much 

 enlarged and made more valuable for i)urposes of comparison and study. 



Among the most noteworthy of the donations received may be men- 

 tioned the following : From Capt. Charles Beudire, I". S. A., who for 

 many years has been a most devoted friend to the establishment, lias been 

 jreceived a large and valuable collection from Fort Klamath and vicinity, 

 Washington Territory. Mr. Charles H. Townsend, of Baird, Shasta. 

 Coui/ty, California, has sent in an extremely interesting collection of 

 the characteristic reptiles of that vicinity. Mr. C. J. Bering, of Suri- 

 nam, a large contributor in previous years, has also presented a valu- 

 able collection of exotic reptiles, and from the scientific gentlemen of the 

 Fish Commission steamer. Albatross, a large collection made during the 

 cruise in the West Indies in 1884, comprising over one hundred speci- 

 mens, has been received. This collection has been loaned, by direction 

 of Professor Baird, to Prof. E. D. Cope, of Philadelphia, for study and 

 identification; the results will be i)robably embodied in a forthcoming 

 paper by this distinguished naturalist on tropical herpetology. From 

 Lieut. George F. Chase, U. S. A., Fort Thomas, Arizona, have been re- 

 ceived two living examples of the "Gila monster,'' Heloderma siispecfum, 

 Cope, these having been sent by special request to furnish additional 

 material for Dr. S. Weir Mitchell's researches uj>on the venom of this 

 interesting lizard. Collections have also been received from R, Klls- 

 worth Call, Des Moines, Iowa, and a particularly valuable one from K. 

 W. Nelson, Tucson, Arizona. 



During the months of August and September, 1884, the curator, be- 

 ing in charge of a small party for scientific research sent out by direction 

 of the Secretary of War, had an opportunity of collecting many valu- 

 able a*d interesting specimens of reptiles in the Territory of Utah, 

 sui)plementing in this manner th<^. collections made by him in 187.! while 

 naturalist of Lieutenant Wheeler's expedition. By jiermission of the 



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