REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 47 



Arkansas. — A few ores and minerals were received from this State, 

 principally those given by the Department of the Interior. A qnartz 

 crystal from Crystal Mountain, near Hot Springs, two rock crystals 

 from Ozark Mountains, specimen of pyrolusite from the manganese 

 mining district, and specimens of meteoric iron from Johnson County 

 were contributed. Minerals, rocks, and fish were sent for examination 

 and report. 



California. — The collections though small were numerous. Among 

 them may be noted an interesting collection of 98 pearls from Califor- 

 nia mollusks, sent by Mr. C. E. Orcutt, of San Diego ; collections of 

 bird-skins forwarded by Messrs. L. W. Green, L. Belding, John J. Sny- 

 der, E. W. Blake, jr., and H. W. Henshaw. P. Stephens sent a rare 

 mammal, the Kangaroo rat (type), (Dipodomys deserti). Two blocks 

 of calcite, from Siskiyou County, were given by Prof. J. S. Diller, of the 

 Geological Survey. A mortar from the auriferous gravels on the north 

 side of the American River was presented by H. W. Turner. A very 

 valuable addition was a fossil fish, apparently a fresh-water sculpin, of 

 the genus Uranidea, or an allied form of fresh -water Cottoids, found 

 in the tunnel of the Monte Cristo mine on the summit of Spanish 

 Peak, in the auriferous gravel, and sent by John G. Phelps. Chrome 

 ores from Del Norte, Placer, and San Luis Obispo Counties, were pre- 

 sented by the Baltimore Chrome Works. 



The State Mining Bureau of California sent shavings of the San Ber- 

 nardino meteorite, with two photographs of the same object; also, 

 twelve specimens of the mineral Colemanite, from San Bernardino 

 County. Sugar-bearing oak leaves were received from Mr. Livingston 

 Stone. 



Colorado. — Of the birds from this State, Mr. Robert Ridgway gave 

 two specimens of Richardson's Merlin, and two other specimens of 

 this species were sent by Dr. Elliott Coues. Col. James Stevenson, 

 of the U. S. Geological Survey, gave seven bird-skins, and C. W. Beck- 

 ham presented ten specimens, representing six species. Birds' nests 

 were received from H. W. Henshaw, and birds' eggs from A. W. An- 

 thony and Mr. Dennis Gale, of Gold Hill (22 specimens). A few min- 

 erals came in, among which were a specimen of astrophyllite in quartz, 

 from El Paso County, and two crystals of almandite in chlorite. A 

 peculiarly colored specimen of the western brook-trout {Salmo purpura 

 tus), was also received, through the Fish Commission. 



Connecticut. — From Mr. G. Curtis Bishop was received a hawk (Buteo 

 latissimus) for examination, and a small collection of birds' eggs was 

 sent by Mr. M. Abbott Frazar in exchange. A specimen of Wall-eyed 

 pike (Stizostedium vitreum), from the Connecticut River, was received 

 from Prof. William North Rice, of the Wesley an University, Middletown, 

 Connecticut, the first of the genus ever found in this region. The Shell- 

 Fish Commission of Connecticut sent 40 specimens of young shad 

 (Clupea sapidissima). 



