Recently published Ornithological Works. 503. 
tution (which contain the Reports of the U.S. National 
Museum) were very late in their appearance. This is, 
however, no longer the case, as the two reports now before 
us bring the account of the progress of this important 
Institution up to the end of the first half of 1906. 
The Report for 1905 commences with a short history of 
the National Museum, which was in fact planned and com- 
menced by the late Prof. Baird about 1850. Although the 
means granted to the establishment for making purchases have 
always been very limited, yet the accumulation of specimens 
received from various expeditions and surveys, besides private 
donations, have quickly converted the old building devoted 
to its use into a mere store-house, and the absolute necessity 
of a new structure with far more accommodation has long 
been recognised. After a tedious and regrettable (though 
perhaps, under the circumstances, unavoidable) delay the 
work of erecting the new building was commenced in 1904, 
and will, we believe, be shortly brought to a conclusion, 
when the collections, which embrace a very large and most 
important series of birds, will be properly housed. 
The chief additions made to the bird-collection during the 
previous year are mentioned in the Report, and those of 
Dr. Abbott, from the Malay Archipelago, and Surgeon 
Mearns, from the Philippines, are specially noticed, as is 
also the receipt of a fine series of birds from Costa Rica 
contributed by the National Museum of that Republic. We 
have already spoken of the successful visit of Prof. Ridgway 
to that attractive country in 1904—5 *, which is also described 
in this Report. The total number of specimens of birds 
obtained by Prof. Ridgway on this occasion, besides those 
presented by the Costa-Rican Museum as above mentioned, 
was 1359. The number of specimens of birds (besides eggs) 
in the Museum is stated in this Report to be 140,878. 
In the Report for 1905-6 the good, if somewhat slow, 
progress of the building of the new Museum is recorded, and 
certain alterations recently sanctioned are stated to “insure 
the acquisition of a structure of exceptional dignity and 
* See ‘Ibis,’ 1906, p. 396, 
