REPORT ON THE SECTION OF BIRDS' EGGS IN THE U. S. NATIONAL 



MUSEUM, 1887, 



By Captain Charles E. Bendire, U. S. Army, Honorary Curator. 



My principal object during the year has been to fill as far as possible 

 the existing gaps in the oological collection, and to increase the series 

 of eggs, especially amongst the rarer species. In this I have been mod- 

 erately successful. 



The largest and most important collection received during the past 

 year is that made by Lieut. Harry G. Benson, Fourth Cavalry, in the 

 vicinity of Fort Huackuca, Arizona, consisting of 22 species and 630- 

 specimens, a valuable gift, as all the specimens are nicely prepared, 

 and the majority of them very rare, and scarcely known in collections. 

 I mention a few of the rarer species: Crvus coryptoleucus, 57 sets, 275 

 specimens; Aphelocoma sieberii arizonw, 33 sets, 137 specimens and 

 nest; Columba fasciata, 3 specimens; Buteo abbreviatus, 1 specimen; 

 Psaltri-parus plumbeus, 9 sets, 41 specimens and nests. 



With the exception of the first-mentioned species these eggs have 

 been represented in the collection by but a single specimen, and the 

 last-named species was till now unknown. In making this collection 

 Lieutenaut Benson has often ridden 40 miles a day, and he deserves a 

 great deal of credit for the amount of work he has accomplished in a 

 few weeks' collecting. 



Dr. A. K. Fisher, Department of Agriculture, presented 18 specimens, representing 

 5 species, all of (hern rare, comprising the following: Spinus pinus, set of 4 eggs and 

 nest ; Helminthophila pinus, set of 5 eggs and nest ; Empidonax fiaviventris, set of 4 

 eggs. New to the collection. 



Col. N. S. Goss, Topeka, Kansas, gave a set of 2 eggs of Iciinia mississippiensis. 



From Capt. B. F. Goss, Pewaukee, Wisconsin, was received a set of 8 eggs and 

 nest of JSegulus salrapa. 



Mr. H. W. Henshaw, Washington, District of Columbia, gave an egg of Ammodra- 

 mus leldingi. New to the collection. 



From William Brewster, Cambridge, Massachusetts, came a set of 4 eggs of Junco 

 hyemalis carolinensis. New to collection. He also contributed one set of 2 eggs of 

 Pipilo erythrophihalmus alleni, and one set of 3 eggs of Helinaia sivainsoni with nests. 



From Lieut. G. M. Stoney, U. S. Navy, were received : One set of 3 eggs and nest of 

 Seiurus noveboracensis notabilis. New to the collection. One set of 4 eggs and nest 

 of Hesperociclila ncevia, and two sets of 4 eggs and nests of Branta canadensis minima. 



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