EEPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS IN THE 

 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



By H. C. Yareow, Sonorary Curator. 



IMPORTANT ADDITIONS DURING THE HALF YEAR. 



A collection from Cozumel, collected by the naturalist of tlie TJ. S. 

 Fish Commission steamer Albatross, containing seventeen specimens. 

 These were sent to Prof. E. D. Cope, by direction of Professor Baird. 

 A collection from the northwest coast of Mexico, from Alphonso Forrer, 

 containing twenty -four specimens. A collection from Mr. G. H. Eags- 

 dale, of Texas, containing fifteen specimens. Dr. George W. Nelson 

 sent a good collection from Panama, which was forwarded for study to 

 Prof. E. D. Cope. Mr. Charles E. Orcutt contributed an excellent col- 

 lection from San Diego, California. 



Some very fine turtles, of almost unknown species, were sent by Mr. 

 G. Kohn, from Mobile Bay, Alabama. A collection was also received 

 from Mr. C. C. Kutting, Pilot Town, Florida. Specimens were also re- 

 ceived from the following : William Palmer, Arlington, Virginia ; H. W. 

 Turner, Nevada ; Fletcher M. Noe, Minnesota ; Herbert B. Creel, Eipley 

 Landing, West Virginia ; Harry Simpson, Analostan Island, District of 

 Columbia ; O. P. Hay, Indiana ; H. G. Dodge, Clark County, Illinois ; F. 

 W. Heyward, South Carolina ; Charles H. Townsend, coast of Lower 

 California; C. G. H. Lloyd, Tasmania; L. M. Turner, Fort Chimo; G. P. 

 Merrill, U. S. National Museum; Albert Koebele, Surinam; Lieut. 

 George M. Stoney, U. S. N., Alaska ; Newton Simmons, El Paso, Texas ; 

 Forest Ball, California. 



CHARACTER OF ROUTINE WORK. 



The routine work of the Department of Eeptiles has been described 

 in previous reports. Careful attention is given to entering all speci- 

 mens received, and to the proper selection of those needed for the two 

 great sets, known as the "reserve" and "general" series. 



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