Editorials. 5 



The collection of fishes has been increased during the past twelve 

 months by much valuable material obtained in South America, and 

 also in Japan and Corea. The South American collections were made 

 by parties collecting under the direction of Dr. C. H. Eigenmann. 

 The Asiatic collections were obtained for the Museum through Dr. 

 David Starr Jordan, with the generous assistance of the officials of 

 the Japanese government in Corea and Japan, as well as through the 

 disinterested kindness of Mr. Allan W. Owston, of Yokohama. 



Captain F. E. Kleinschmidt on the occasion of his visit to Alaska 

 succeeded in obtaining for the Museum some magnificent specimens 

 of the great Alaskan bear, Ursus middendorji which it is proposed to 

 use in the preparation of a group. 



Dr. 0. E. Jennings during the summer of 1913 continued his 

 botanical exploration of the north shore of Lake Superior. He was 

 accompanied by Mrs. Jennings. They brought back with them to 

 the Museum a very large collection of the plants of the region and a 

 large number of photographs serving to throw light upon the ecological 

 relationships which exist at various points. Dr. Jennings reports that 

 he has ascertained a number of very interesting facts in reference 

 to the geographical distribution of species, and that he has also dis- 

 covered several species which are undoubtedly new to science. 



During the summer Professor Arnold E. Ortmann made extensive 

 investigations in the drainage areas of Virginia, Kentucky, and 

 Tennessee. His studies upon the molluscan faunae of these areas 

 are calculated to throw a flood of light not only upon the distribution 

 of species, but upon the origin and development of the river systems 

 themselves. 



From Mr. G. A. Steiner we have received as a loan a very large 

 collection of Indian baskets, which has been mounted and placed 

 upon view. It forms a most attractive exhibit in the Gallery ol 

 Ethnology. 



During the summer we had the pleasure of a visit from Sir William 

 M. Ramsey, who expressed himself as most highly pleased with the 



