158 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



Director of the Museum one of his assistants in the Department of Rep- 

 tiles accompanied him, and by permission of General McCook, U. S. A., 

 Lieut. B. W. Atkinson, Sixth United States Infantry, also joined the 

 party; both gentlemen rendered valuable assistance. A small appro- 

 priation was made to furtlier the objects of the expedition. 



Other collections have been received from Jos^ C. Zelodon, of Costa 

 Eica; B. V. Archer, Key West, Fla.; Prof. D, S. Jordan, Bloomington, 

 Ind. ; Dr. B. G. Lartigue, of South Carolina ; Miss Rosa Smith, San 

 Diego, Cal. ; James Bell, Gainesville, Fla. ; John and Charles Walker, 

 Olney, Richland County, Illinois; H. C. Orcutt, San Diego, Cal. ; R. E. 

 C. Stearns, Auburn, Cal. ; F. W. Hayden, Canada ; Gustave Kohn, New 

 Orleans, La. ; W. A. Conklin, superintendent Central Park Museum, New 

 York ; J. Richardson, Rutland, Vt. ; D. S. Sheldon, Griswold College, 

 Davenport, Iowa; Charles R. Orcutt, San Diego, Cal.; Charles H. Town- 

 send, Red Bluff, Cal. ; H. W. Turner, San Francisco, Cal. ; Maj. G. B. 

 Dobsou, Surgeon Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, England; H. W. Hen- 

 shaw, Massachusetts; and R. Ridgway, Wheatland, Ind. From this ex- 

 tended list it will be seen that the public interest in thefieptile Depart- 

 ment is constantly increasing. We are also under great obligations to" 

 Professor Snow, of the Kansas University, who loaned us a unique and 

 beautiful specimen of Crotalus lepidus, which has been drawn as one of 

 the illustrations for the Manual of Herpetology in course of preparation 

 by the curator. 



A.s was mentioned by the curator in his last annual report, the routine* 

 work of the department has been transacted by himself and two assist- 

 ants, both of whom are already possessed of considerable knowledge 

 regarding reptiles. The ordinary routine is as follows : All collections 

 received are at once numbered with a metallic tag and entered in the 

 accession book, having been previously identified if possible. They are 

 then, after a careful examination, jjlaced in either the reserve or the 

 general series, an additional record being made, in order that in case a 

 specimen is needed it may be at once found according to its classifica- 

 tion. In explanation of the terms "reserve series" and " general series" 

 it may be said that the entire collection of American reptiles is divided 

 into two great parts, one called the " Reserve Series," intended for pur- 

 poses of study and com])arison, and from which is selected the exhibi- 

 tion set, the other entitled the -'General Series," from which selections 

 are made for donations to other museums or to amplify the "Reserve 

 Series." It is to be greatly regretted that proper space is not available 

 to admit of a proper display of series of both domestic and foreign 

 reptiles. 



It has long been the intention of the curator to arrange in the same 

 manner the collection of foreign reptiles, but in the present crowded 

 condition of the curator's room it has been found impossible to do this 

 properly. 



The following records, in addition to the current record, are kept with 



