156 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886. 



Stejneyer, Dr.L., Assistant Curator, Department of Birds, (J. S. National 'Museum: 21 speci- 

 mens, 18 species, from Kamtschatka. (Gift.) 

 Townsend, Charles II., U. S. Fish Commission:* 243 specimens, 81 species, from Una- 

 laskka, Kowak River, and islands of Bering Sea. A valuable collection, includ- 

 ing many other interesting specimens, two examples of the recently discovered 

 rieotrophenax hyperboreus, obtained on their breeding ground, Hall Island, Bering 

 Sea ; and a species of Sandpiper, Tringadaniacensis, new to North America. (Smith- 

 sonian Explorations.) 

 Townsend, Charles II., U. S. Fish Commission: 156 specimens, 52 species, collected in 



Humboldt Bay, California. (U. S. Fish Commission.) 

 U. S.Fish Commission, Naturalists of the Steamer Albatross ; 524 specimens, 51 species, 

 mostly from the Bahamas. The collection is of unusual interest as containing 

 not only several forms new to science, but also as extending our knowledge in 

 regard to the distribution of the species on the individual islands, on many 

 of which no collections have been made previously, and in furnishing large series 

 of many species which formerly wore poorly represented in the Museum collec- 

 tion. 

 Warren, Dr. B. H., West Chester, Fa. : 51 specimens, 21 species, in alcohol, from Florida. 

 (Gift.) 

 Two magnificent donations to the sectional library of the Department 

 of Birds deserve being mentioned in the present connection : 



Mr. Henry Seebohm, Loudon, England, has presented to the library 

 a complete copy, text and plates, of Dresser's great work, " The Birds 

 of Europe," which is now bound in fifteen great quarto volumes. This 

 grand work is well nigh indispensable to any one studying ornithology, 

 and the Department is under great obligations to the gentleman named 

 for his munificence. 



From Mr. W. E. Brooks, Milton, Ontario, Canada, the Department 

 has obtained a full set of Allan Hume's " Stray Feathers," a journal of 

 ornithology for India and its dependencies, ten octavo volumes. This 

 journal had become a very important desideratum of late years, as the 

 collections of the Museum from the Pacific coasts of the Old World have 

 been very rapidly increasing. 



The total number of specimens distributed during this fiscal year was 

 2,842, as follows : 



Specimens sent in exchange 2, 581 



Specimens loaned for examination 237 



Specimens (alcoholic) transferred to the osteological department 24 



Total... 2,842 



Twelve additional cases have been put up and refitted with shelves 

 in order to relieve the overcrowded cases already occupied by the exhi- 

 bition series, plans and specifications for shelves, etc., for these cases 

 were drawn up, the work superintended, and finally the specimens trans- 

 ferred and arranged, to the very great improvement of the collection. 

 This work was done during the months of July, August, and September. 



An important feature of the year's work has been the unpacking, 

 determining, and cataloguing the collection of mounted birds belonging 

 to the Mexican Geographical and Exploring Commission. This excep- 



* For list of specimens see Accession List, Part v. 



