68 NEW YORK "ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
Orders. Species. Specimens. 
Scansores, Si OTICAMSM ieee nee ee tee 5 14 
Piciformes, Woodpeckers sac ee ae 3 8 
Passeriformes, Thrushes, Sparrows, and 
all Perching Birds; .2 2248) > 15302 
2 MO AETS 4 Watertet Bek) ke Sie sie eo eieerne Rie ee mea ee FO2s ONS 
DEPARTMENT OF REPTILES. 
Raymond L. Ditmars, Curator; Charles E. Snyder, First Keeper. 
A notable increase of both species and specimens is shown in 
the past year’s census of the Reptile House. Forty-eight more 
species were on exhibition at the close of 1908 than on the same 
date of the preceding year. The greatest increase among species 
has been with the lizards, a fine series of which has been placed 
on exhibition in special table cases, showing rare African and 
Australian species. 
Among the important species of serpents added during the 
year were large examples of the South American bushmaster 
and the fer-de-lance, both the gift of Mr. Edward Wheelock 
Runyan, of this city. A valuable series of Mexican snakes was 
collected by our special agent, Gustav Sabille. From Africa we 
received a fine example of the rare black python and a series of 
puff adders showing many color variations. Australia was repre- 
sented by typical examples of many deadly snakes of that con- 
tinent—the brown snake, and an innocuous species, the carpet 
snake, and a small python. Two large king cobras were pur- 
chased, and in addition to the large example that has been on 
exhibition over eight years, they form a striking group of these 
formidable reptiles. 
A novelty among the separate exhibits on the main floor of 
the building consists of a collection of Indian fishes. These were 
the gift of Mr. Otto Eggeling, of this city. Among them is a 
pair of climbing perch, a pair of guramis, and several extremely 
elongate catfish. The climbing perch are particularly interest- 
ing, as they can leave the water and crawl about on land by 
means of their peculiarly constructed ventral fins. This species 
is provided with water sacs connected with the gills, keeping those 
organs moist for some time while their owner is out of the water. 
The gurami is also an interesting fish, as it has a habit of build- 
ing its nest of bubbles. It often breeds in captivity. 
