A GROUP OF GIFTS FROM THREE CONTINENTS 



EARLY in 1907, and immediately following the first announcement of 

 the founding of the National Collection by the acceptance of the 

 "nucleus," Mr. John Roger Bradley offered three trophy heads from 

 his African hunting trip. One was a Coke Hartebeest, Bubalis cokei (Plate 

 XIV, Fig. 2), another an Impala Antelope, Aepyceros melampus (Plate 

 XIV, Fig. 1), and the third and finest was a Common Waterbuck, Cobus 

 cUiLmi pry mints (Plate XIV, Fig. 4). All three were shot by Mr. Bradley in 

 British East Africa in 1905. 



Next in order, Mr. Bradley offered a fine and very valuable mounted 

 head of a Siberian Argali, Ovis ammon (Plate XIV, Fig. 5), shot by him 

 in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia in 1906. This is a great prize. We 

 know that in this country there are several fine pairs of horns of this matchless 

 species of wild sheep, the largest pair being already in the National Collec- 

 tion, but of mounted heads we know of no others in America than those shot by 

 Mr. Bradley. 



The specimen that now is ours was shot in the early autumn, while its 

 pelage was short, and in fact it shows in a very interesting way the transition 

 stage, from summer to winter. The horn measurements of this head are as 

 follows : 



Basal circumference, right 19i inches; left, 19 J inches; length on curve, 

 right 47i inches; left, 47 inches. 



Circumference 18 inches from base, right 15 J inches; left, 14J inches. 



Circumference one inch from tip, right 4 inches; left, 3f inches. 



Distance between tips, 34 inches. 



The age of the animal was about 13 years. 



Mr. Bradley's last gift was the mounted head of an Atlantic Walrus, 

 Odobaenus rosmarus (Plate XIV, Fig. 3), shot by him in Smith Sound in 

 1907. By two fortunate circumstances, we are thus early placed in possession 

 of mounted heads of both the Atlantic and Pacific Walrus, the only walrus 

 species now in existence. 



