388 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



The skull of a female Narwhal, bearing two equally- developed horns 

 41 inches long, was purchased from Eobert Kinnes, of Dundee, Scot- 

 laud. It was obtained by Capt. James Fairweather, of the steamship 

 Aurora, of Dundee, in Prince Regent's Inlet, Lancaster Sound, in July, 

 1887. From the TJ. S. Fish Commission were obtained a skeleton of a 

 small Spotted dolphin, Prodelphinus longirostris, and one of the large 

 spotted species, Prodelphinus plagiodon. The skeleton of a young 

 Killer whale was obtained from Prof. Robert Collett, director of the 

 Zoological Museum of Christiana, Norway, iu exchange for other speci- 

 mens. Skulls of Balcenoptera rostrata, Delphinus delphis, and Phocwna 

 communis were also received. 



The authorities of the Australian Museum presented skeletons of a 

 number of Marsupials, including Guscus orientalis and Belideus artel. 

 Of much importance for comparison with the West Indian seal is the 

 skeleton of the Mediterranean seal, Monachus albiventer, presented by 

 Prof. H. H. Giglioli, director of the Royal Zoological Museum of Flor- 

 ence, Italy, in exchange for other specimens. 



The Museum purchased from Capt. F. Gr. Fry, a remarkably large 

 and well-developed skeleton of a male Gorilla. 



One of the most interesting accessions during the year was the skele- 

 ton of the Fork-tailed Gull, Greagrus furcatus, which, so far as known, 

 is the only skeleton of this species of bird in any museum. It was 

 obtained by the naturalists of the U. S. Fish Commission steamer 

 Albatross. The Commissioner also presented a collection of birds of the 

 Galapagos Islands, and of the Straits of Magellan. 



The authorities of the Auckland Museum presented a collection of 

 typical New Zealand birds, preserved in alcohol. Among the speci- 

 mens were representatives of the genera Stringops and Apteryx. 



A similar alcoholic collection of Australian birds, including species 

 of various characteristic genera, such as Ocydromus, Calcenas, and 

 Megapodius, was received from the Australian Museum, Sydney, New 

 South Wales. 



Among the collections made by Dr. L. F. H. Birt, at Greytown, 

 Nicaragua, were considerable numbers of birds in alcohol, including 

 certain Trogons and Toucans, which had been among our desiderata. 

 Six Elephant Tortoises, brought alive from the ( ralapagos Islands by the 

 U. S. Fish Commission, died in captivity, and their skeletons were 

 acquired by this department. The skeletons of two Boas were obtained. 



The most important change in the exhibition hall was the enlarge- 

 ment of the large wall case on the north side of the hall by the addition 

 of a west wing. The wing agrees in design with the remainder of the 

 case, but is somewhat deeper. Its length is 21 feet; depth, 3 feet. On 

 account of the additional space afforded it lias been possible to improve 

 the arrangement of the mounted skeletons of Primates and Carnivores. 



The purchase of the large skeleton of a Right Whale, already referred 

 to, made it necessary to change the position of all the large whalebone 



