96 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



REVIEW OF SPECIAL RESEARCHES PROSECUTED UPON MATERIAL 

 BELONGING: TO THE DEPARTMENT. 



During the year Mr. Leonhard Stejneger lias prosecuted actively his 

 very important researches iu Japanese ornithology, and the following 

 families have been thoroughly worked up (put in shape for printing) 

 during the year : Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, Eails, Tits, Thrushes (part), 

 Pigeons, Auks ; also the order Herodiones (Herons, Storks, Spoonbills, 

 and Ibises), and some smaller groups, as the genera Acanthis and 

 Pyrrhula. Mr. Stejneger's researches are based on what is believed to 

 be by far the richest collection' of Japanese birds extant, and are of 

 very great importance, his methods being characterized by a peculiar 

 degree of care and exactness. The published results include 100 pages 

 referring exclusively to Japanese ornithology, in which are described 11 

 new species. In addition to his investigation of Japanese ornithology 

 Mr. Stejneger has worked up an interesting collection of birds from the 

 island of Kauai, Hawaiian group, said collection embracing no less 

 than 7 new species (out of a total of only 15 species) and 1 new genus. 



The curator has during the year completed his series of analytical 

 keys to North American birds, soon to be published by the J. B. Lippin- 

 cott Company, Philadelphia, under the title, "A Manual of North Amer- 

 ican Birds," a book of royal octavo size, consisting of 031 pages and 

 464 illustrations of the generic details. 



ACCESSIONS. 



The number of additions to the collection of birds has been large, 

 and the following statement will show the sources of the more impor- 

 tant contributions : 



From W. B. Anderson, of Fort Simpson, British Columbia : 4 specimens, 4 species, 

 from Fort Simpson. 



From A. W. Anthony, of Denver, Colorado : 8 specimens, 3 species, from Denver, 

 Colorado. 



From the Auckland Museum, Auckland, New Zealand, were received in exchange 

 104 specimens, 59 species, all from New Zealand. An elegantly prepared collection, of 

 unusual interest, containing many species new to the collection of the Museum. There 

 are tine specimens of 2 species of Ocydromus, Strigops, 2 species of Nestor, Apteryx 

 mantelli, Anarhynchus (4 specimens), Larus, Hcematopus nnicolor, etc. 



From C. W. Beckham, of Bardstown, Kentucky ; 10 specimens, 6 species, Passerine 

 birds, from Pueblo, Colorado. 



From James Bell, of Gainesville, Florida : A fresh skin of wild turkey, Meleagris gal- 

 lopavo. 



From Lieut. H. C. Benson, U. S. Army, Fort Huachuca, Arizona: 11 specimens, 6 

 species, of which may be mentioned 6 adults and young Sialia azurea, a young Trogon 

 ambiguus in the first plumage, all from Arizona, and the head of a female Imperial 

 Woodpecker (Campepliilus imperiaUs), from Sonora, Mexico, a species of which the 

 Museum as yet possesses no complete specimen, the above head being the first frag- 

 ment of this magnificent bird to reach the Museum ; 170 specimens, 70 species, chiefly 

 from southern Arizona, and a few from Sonora, Mexico. Tbis collection is one of un- 

 usual interest and value as containing a number of rare species excellently prepared. 

 This is au exceedingly important accession, consisting as it does of a fine series of 7 



