308 APPENDIX C. — INTRODUCTION. 



■winter quarters and range of Leucosticte tephrocotis. The only 

 specimen previously seen of this bird was obtained by Dr. Rich- 

 ardson on the Saskatchewan. 



The reptiles procured are all new, excepting two : of these, one, 

 Holhrookia maeulata, was recently described by Mr. Girard, from 

 the Platte, and the other, Plirynosoma douglasii, from Oregon, by 

 Bell. None of the new species have ever been found elsewhere. 

 Among these is the finest species of Cnemidophorus in North 

 America. To Mr. Girard, equally with, ourselves, is due the cre- 

 dit of the article on the reptiles, especially for the monograph of 

 Plirynosoma^ which is entirely from his pen. 



Many specimens of insects were procured, but unfortunately 

 injured or lost on the return. The few preserved have been ably 

 determined by Professor Haldeman, as will be seen by his report. 

 The principal entomological result is the precise determination of 

 the destructive grasshopper, which, but for the interposition of a 

 species of tern, at one period was near turning the " Garden of 

 the Mountains" into a desert. 



Of shells and other invertebrate forms, no specimens were 

 brought in, excepting in too fragmentary a state to admit of de- 

 termination. 



By the kind permission of Colonel J. J. Abort, Chief of the 

 Topographical Bureau, so well known for his liberality and love of 

 science, we have been permitted to examine a small but exceed- 

 ingly interesting collection of birds and mammals, procured by his 

 son, Lieutenant J. W. Abort, in New Mexico. Among them we 

 found a new species of bird and one new mammal, descriptions of 

 which, with lists of the other species, we have subjoined. We have 

 also ventured to include, in the article on reptiles, descriptions of 

 some new species from Oregon, Texas, and New Mexico, collected 

 by officers of the army. With the cheerful acquiescence of Cap- 

 tain Stansbury, we have likewise appended to the article on birds 

 a complete list of all the trans-Mississippi species not included in 

 Audubon's American Ornithology, adding the few found since his 

 time east of this great natural boundary. Por assistance in cor- 

 recting and extending this list, we are under great obligations to 

 Mr. John Cassin, of Philadelphia, who is now engaged in publishing 

 a continuation of Audubon's Ornithology, to include all the species 

 mentioned in it. 



S. F. Baird. 



