129 



the distance from tlie historic centre, or Egypt ; beginning at 

 the farthest remove : 



1. The aboriginal American tribes and nations. 



2. The islanders of the Pacific, Polynesians, IMicronesians, Negril- 

 los and Papuans. 



3. The Australians. 



4. The East Indian tribes. 



5. Madagascar, and Equatorial and Austral Africa. 



6. The Japanese and neighboring more Northern islands, with the 

 North Eastern border of Asia. 



7. The Chinese empire, with Tartary and Northern Asia. 



8. The- Anamo-Siamese countries. 



9. Hindostan. 



10. Pei-sia, Northwestern Asia and all Europe. 



11. Arabia, Mesopotamia, Sp-ia, North Africa and Egypt. 



The wall cases of the first gallery are devoted exclusively 

 to mounted birds, which also occupy a portion of the southern 

 side of the upper gallery. The collection is in very good 

 condition. The Curator complains that owing to the plan of 

 the cases in the gallery, it is impossible to introduce a careful 

 systematic aiTangement ; it is much to be hoped that we 

 may soon be able to open one of the side rooms in which 

 this interesting department more properly belongs, to obviate 

 the difficulties which at present are insmmountable. The 

 Curator urges fiuther that immediate measures be taken to 

 tighten the joints of the cases, through the defects of which 

 the birds are too hable to injury fi'om destructive insects, and 

 to keep out the too powerful light to which they are penna- 

 nently exposed, and by which they will be inevitably ruined. 

 The collection numbers about 2,500 mounted specimens ; as 

 a general one it represents very well the diflerent orders and 

 families of birds and affords a very favorable opportunity, 

 with the aid of our library, to study general ornithology. 

 As a special collection, however, of the birds, first of the 

 State of Massachusetts, secondly of the United States, and 

 lastly of North America, it is extremely deficient ; and it is of 

 the highest importance that this deficiency be remedied as 

 soon as possible. We need particularly specimens of all our 



PROCEEDINGS B. 8. K. H.— VOL. X. 9 FEBRUARY, 1866. 



