216 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



Held notes, the exteiisiveness of the series of some of our most difficult 

 and interesting reptiles, and their excellent preservation makes this 

 collection one of unusual value and merit. The study of this material 

 will result in greatly increasing and correcting our knowledge of the 

 herpetology of our southwestern border, 



I)r, 0, Hart Merriain's collection, made during his biological recon- 

 noissance in Idaho, 1890, and deposited by the U, S. Department of 

 Agriculture, though less extensive, because made in a country less rich 

 in reptiles, is hardly less valuable or interesting, and for the same rea- 

 sons. The curator has already published a report upon this material. 



Special thanks are due to Mr. Charles R. Orcutt, of San Diego, Cal,, 

 for a large (collection of South Californian reptiles, chiefly from the Oolo- 

 rada Desert, nianj^ of which are rare in collections. 



Through Mr. Charles K. Worthen another interesting collection, from 

 Cameron County, Tex., was secured. 



Of the exotic collections none exceed in imixu'tance those brought 

 home by Dr. W. L. Abbott and generously donated by him to the Mu- 

 seum, being, as they are, from localities unrepresented in our collec 

 tions, viz, the Seychelles, Madagascar, and Kilima-Njaro, East Africa, 

 Only a portion of this material is as yet identified, but the curator 

 has already been able to describe two new sjjccies from the last men- 

 tioned locality, viz, Chama'leo abhotti and Lyj/osoina lUimensis. 



Among the many other contributors the following deserve special 

 mention: Herbert Brown, Arizcma; Julius Hurter, St, Louis, Mo.; U. 

 S. Fish Commission; H. H. and C. S. Brimley, Raleigh, N. C; Gustave 

 Kolin, New Orleans, La.; C. F. Batchelder, Cambridge, Mass.; G. A. 

 Allen, Parker, Ariz., and Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, Takoma Park, D. C. 



During the early part of 1891, Prof. E. D. Cope spent some time in 

 working u^) a nund)er of snake "enera as well as in reviewing the lacertil 

 ian genus (Jnemidophorus. 



Dr. O. P. Hay, of Irvington, lu''., spent some time in the department 

 studying the material at hand bearing on the herpetology of Indiana, 

 a work which he is now preparing for publication by the geological sur- 

 vey of the State of Indiana. 



The curator during the year was prevailed upon to assume, in addi- 

 tion to his other duties, the editorship of the new supplement to the 

 " Nomenclator Zoologicus," and about one-fourth of his time has con- 

 sequently been devoted to this work. During the time that could b<^ 

 si)ared from the above and the routine work, he continued his studies 

 of the collection, but the immediate needs of the latter prevented any 

 si)ecial devotion to any one particular subject. The titles of the papers 

 prepared and submitted for publication will, perhaps, show this better 

 than anything else, and a list of these is therefore hereby appended, 

 as follows : 



(1) Seebolim's Birds of Ibc .lapauese Empire. (A review.) 



(2) Description of a New Gemis and .Species of Tailless Batrachian from Tropical 

 America. (Jointly with Frederic ('. Test. ) 



