Zoology 74 i 



The numerous memoirs on various species and groups of 

 reptiles, for which the museum of the Institution furnished 

 the material in whole or part, were published chiefly in the 

 " Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia," and the " Proceedings of the United States Na- 

 tional Museum." The other separate publications, involving 

 the reptiles, were on their anatomy and physiology : one by 

 Doctor S. Weir Mitchell made known " Researches upon the 

 Venom of the Rattlesnake" (1860); another, by Doctors 

 Mitchell and George R. Morehouse, described " Researches 

 upon the Anatomy and Physiology of Respiration in the 

 Chelonia" (1863). A quarter-century after the publication 

 of the researches on the rattlesnake, the senior author 

 (Doctor Mitchell), seconded by another (Doctor Edward T. 

 Reichert), published the results of later " Researches upon 

 the Venom of Poisonous Serpents" generally (1886). 



BIRDS 



THE earliest of the " Contributions to Knowledge " relating 

 to ornithology was the beginning of a " North American 

 Oology," by Doctor Thomas M. Brewer. A "first part," 

 descriptive of the " Raptores and Fissirostres," was pub- 

 lished in 1857, but was never succeeded by another. In 1895 

 this field was covered by a new work entitled " Life His- 

 tories of North American Birds," illustrated by many plates, 

 in which the eggs are delineated. The new work was by 

 Major Charles Bendire, and was extended to two volumes, 

 but this must also remain unfinished on account of the death 

 of the author. The work of Bendire is noteworthy as open- 

 ing a new series in quarto form, published under the auspices 

 of the Institution and designated " Special Bulletin," the vol- 

 umes in question being the first and third "Special Bulletins." 



