340 The Smithsonian Institution 



"Naturalists visiting Alaska and Labrador also made large 

 contributions to the oological collections. The eggs of the 

 rare Northern water-birds and waders so difficult to obtain 

 for private collections were thus sent (often in large series) to 

 the Institution. 



"In 1884 Major Bendire added to the already large collec- 

 tion his unrivaled series of eggs of Western birds, obtained 

 during twenty-five years of duty in the Territories, This 

 collection numbered eight thousand or more beautifully pre- 

 pared specimens. From that time till his death Major Ben- 

 dire was untiring in his efforts to obtain the desiderata of the 

 collection. More recently Doctor William L. Ralph, of Utica, 

 New York, has presented his magnificent collection of eggs 

 to the Institution, and is now actively engaged in filling gaps 

 in the series, 



"To mention specifically all the rarities in the North 

 American series of the oological department would be an 

 almost endless task; a few of the more important ones are 

 the following : 



"Great Auk, i Qgg\ Heermann's Gull, 2 eggs; Craveri's 

 Murrelet, 2 eggs; Jabiru, i &gg\ Purple, Aleutian, Coues's, 

 Baird's, Pectoral, White-rumped, and Curlew Sandpipers; 

 Sanderling, 2 specimens (McFarlane); Heath Hen, one speci- 

 men ; Passenger Pigeon, about thirty eggs ; California Vul- 

 ture, I &gg; Harlan's, Krider's, and Short-tailed Hawks; 

 Peale's, Richardson's, and Aplomado falcons ; Elf, Flammu- 

 lated, and Californian Pigmy Owls; Carolina Paroquet; 

 Ivory-billed Woodpecker; White-throated and Vaux's Switts; 

 Clarke's Nutcracker, several eggs; Western Evening-Gros- 

 beak; American and Mexican Crossbills; Pribilof Snowflake, 

 several eggs. Among the rare warblers may be mentioned : 

 Brewster's, Virginia's, Lucy's, Cape May, Olive, Sennett's, 

 Grace's, Townsend's, Hermit, Golden-cheeked, Gray, and 

 Connecticut Warblers ; Rio Grande and Belding's Yellow. 

 throats; Red-faced Warblers, 



"Of foreign eggs may be mentioned those of the Kamts- 

 chatkan Sea Eagle and the Ouesal ; also various series of eggs, 

 like those collected by Doctor Jerome H. Kidder on Kerguelen 



