46 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



C — REGIONS EAST OF THE MISSOURI. 



In anticipation of the great fair in Chicago of the Illinois State 

 Agricultural Society, it was proposed to secure and exhibit full col- 

 lections of the natural history of the State on that occasion. Accord- 

 ingly, Mr. Robert Kennicott was selected by the society to travel 

 throughout Illinois, especially along the lines of the Illinois Central 

 railroad, and not only to make collections himself, but to instruct the 

 employes of the railroad company and others, so as to enable them to 

 assist in the work. Aided by a small appropriation by the Institu- 

 tion, in addition to the facilities furnished by the society and the rail- 

 road company, Mr. Kennicott collected in a few months the finest 

 cabinet of Illinois specimens ever brought together. This collection 

 constituted one of the most striking features of the fair, and after the 

 latter was closed was in great part forwarded to the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution. It is much to be regretted that a very large and valuable 

 collection of living reptiles of Illinois, transmitted by Mr. Kennicott, 

 should have been destroyed throTigh a misunderstanding with the ex- 

 press company. To Mr. Kennicott is due the praise of having been 

 the first to enter on a systematic zoological exploration of Illinois. 

 Thanks to his efforts, we have few States better, or even so well, repre- 

 sented in our cabinet. In this labor he has been worthily seconded 

 in the more southern portions of the State by Mr. William J. Shaw,* 

 from whom many valuable collections, especially of insects, have 

 already been received. 



In company with William A. Henry, esq., I visited the wild regions 

 of northern New York, for the purpose of studying the habits, and 

 collecting specimens, of the mammals inliabiting it. With the assist- 

 ance of Mr. M. Baker, of Saranac Lake, we succeeded very well in ac- 

 complishing our object. 



Mr. Henry and myself also visited the region along the St. Law- 

 rence, and made some interesting collections, aided by Mr. E. A. Day- 

 ton, of Madrid, and Mr. W. E. Guest, of Ogdensburg. 



d — MEXICO. 



Two very important additions to our collection of specimens, illus- 

 trating the natural history of Mexico, have been received during the 

 year. The first consists of a series of types of Mexican serpents as 

 described in the Erpetologie generale of Messrs. Dumeril and Bitoron, 

 and presented by the Jardin des Plantes, of Paris, through the agency 

 of the Messrs. Dumeril. The other collection was forwarded by John 

 Potts, esq., and contains specimens of reptiles, fishes, birds, and mam- 

 mals, made in central and northern Mexico, and all in the highest 

 state of preservation. Some of the specimens were received by Mr. 

 Potts for the Institution from Mr. Schleiden. Additional collections 

 from Mexico are earnestly desired, as serving to determine more accu- 

 rately the nature and geographical distribution of North American 



* Since writing the above, intelligence has been received of the death of Mr. Shaw. 



