TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 67 



Orders. Species. Specimens. 

 Coraciiformes, Kingfishers and Horn- 

 bills 2 3 



Trogones, Trogons 7 4 



Coccyges, Cuckoos i i 



Scansores, Toucans 3 3 



Piciformes, Woodpeckers 2 9 



Passeriformes, Thrushes, Sparrows, and 



all Perching 'Birds. . . 117 576 



26 Orders of Birds 355 1,555 



DEPARTMENT OF REPTILES. 

 Raymond L. Ditmars, Curator. 



The close of 1905 finds the collection in the Reptile House re- 

 markably full, and well stocked with important representative 

 species. The collection of poisonous snakes has strengthened 

 beyond our expectations. The series of rattlesnakes contains 

 about sixty specimens, and to the collection of cobras,* eight 

 specimens, representing two additional species, have been added. 

 Through the Curator's efforts to procure specimens of the desert 

 tortoises, from the Southwest, to exhibit in the Tortoise House, a 

 number of desert lizards were received. During the summer 

 these were shown in a special cage outside the Reptile House, 

 and later were transferred to the high temperature of the Tor- 

 toise Room, in the eastern end of the building. 



The series of local reptiles has been much elaborated. Large 

 descriptive labels have been printed, framed, and placed over 

 the cages. These labels give a condensed history of each species 

 represented, and the exhibit is thus made more useful and in- 

 structive. Across the hall from the local reptiles are the batra- 

 chians found in this vicinity, arranged in the same fashion. 



A new and important feature is the grouping of the strictly 

 aquatic amphibians under a large general label. Four com- 

 modious aquaria hold a representative lot of these creatures. 

 Two of the tanks are supplied with running water, which is an 

 absolute requirement for some of the species. In connection with 

 the exhibit of amphibians there is shown a fine preparation illus- 

 trating the transformation of the frog. Brought together in this 

 fashion, from diiTerent parts of the building, the batrachian col- 

 lection is at once rendered more noteworthy and atractive. 



* Described in the Ninth Annual Report, for 1904. 



