70 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



tons, and skulls of sea lions and seals from the Farralone Islands, and 

 of sea elephants from South California. 



Arizona and New Mexico. — These Territories have been well repre- 

 sented ; the former by the mammals, birds, and other objects of interest 

 furnished by Mr. E. W. Nelson ; the latter by an enormous collection 

 of modern Indian pottery and other articles, made under the auspices 

 of the Bureau of Ethnology, and others obtained by Mr. James Steven- 

 son under similar direction. 



Some contributions to the fauna of New Mexico were supplied by Dr. 

 K. W. Shufeldt, of the Army, from his station at Fort Wingate. 



Eastern portion of the United States. — The exploration of the fresh- 

 water fish fauna of the Mississippi Valley made by Professors Jordan 

 and Gilbert in behalf of the New Orleans International Exposition is 

 specially w r orthy of mention. Several months were occupied in this 

 service, and many hundreds of species obtained and prepared for exhibi- 

 tion. Dr. Palmer was detailed to collect the corals of the Florida Keys 

 and the Tortugas. Henry Hemphill also made collections of the inver- 

 tebrates of Florida. 



The collections of the United States Fish Commission along the east- 

 ern coast of the United States have been noteworthy, especially those 

 from the labors of the Fish Commission steamer Albatross in the 

 deep waters off the coast. 



General collections were made by the Albatross of the land fauna of 

 the coast of the Gulf of Mexico as well as of the marine, resulting in 

 the addition of a very great number of species to the National Museum, 

 of which a noted proportion are of scientific interest. Among these 

 may be mentioned eight new species of birds found on the islands of 

 Curacoa and Old Providence. 



Professor Poey has continued his contributions of fishes from Cuba. 



Dr. Nichols, of Dominica, has continued his donations of birds, mol- 

 lusks, &c, while from Mr. Morris, director of the public gardens and 

 plantations in Jamaica, many samples of valuable fibers have been 

 secured. 



Mexico and Central America. — Professor Alfred Dugds, of Guanajuato, 

 Mexico, has continued his transmissions of objects of natural history, 

 among them being some rare species of birds, &c. Mr. McLeod, of 

 Jesus Maria, in Mexico, has also furnished some rare birds. 



Mr. Romero, the Mexican minister, supplied a series of the playing 

 cards and other gambling implements of the Mexican Indians. 



The services of Louis Aym6, late consul at Merida, were secured to 

 prosecute some investigations into the ethnology of Yucatan and West- 

 ern Mexico, especially with a view of showing the relationships between 

 the habits and manufactures of the Indians of those regions and those 

 of the southern portion of the United States. Several large collections 

 have already been received from him, and others of still greater moment 

 are on the way. 



