88 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



Six species and one subspecies have been added to the North Ameri- 

 can fauna during the year. These are — 



Hesperomys taylori Thomas. (Texas.) 

 Hesperomys anthonyi Merriam. (New Mexico.) 

 Neotoma oryanti Merriaru. (Lower California.) 

 Dipodomys deserti Stephens. (California.) 

 Vespei'tilio longicrus True. (Puget Sound.) 

 VespertiUo ciliolabrum Merriam. (Western States.) 

 Thomomys talpoides perpallidus Merriam. (California.) 



Of 27". taylori the Museum possesses one specimen, a very defective 

 skin, in alcohol, which was found soon after the species had been de- 

 scribed by Mr. Thomas. 27. anthonyi is represented by two specimens 

 (apparently a subspecies) purchased from Mr. Stephens, who also pre- 

 sented the type of his Dipodomys deserti. 



Several specimens of Thomomys perpallidus were purchased from Mr. 

 Stephens. Neotoma bryanti is not in the collection. VespertiUo cilio- 

 labrum is represented by several specimens, but of V. longicrus only the 

 type (No. 15623) is known. 



NOTES ON IMPORTANT ACCESSIONS. 



The accessions of the past year compare favorably in point of inter- 

 est with those of former periods. The^sources from which they have 

 been derived have been unusually varied. 



The amount of material received from the different Bureaus of the 

 Government has not been so great as in some previous years, while the 

 number of private contributions has increased. For the first time in 

 the history of the department a considerable number of specimens has 

 been purchased. 



TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS. 



North America. — One of the most important accessions of the year 

 was the series of skins and skeletons of the American Bison, obtained 

 in Ouster County, Montana, by the expedition sent out by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution (Mr. W. T. Hornaday in charge). A portion of this 

 series, comprising individuals of both sexes and of different ages, has 

 been mounted by Mr. Hornaday and his assistants and will soon be 

 placed on exhibition. Good specimens of the Prong-horn Antelope, Coy- 

 ote, etc., were also obtained by this expedition. The party sent out to 

 reconnoiter in this region in the summer of 1886 found the Bison in poor 

 condition and made no attempt to secure a series. They brought back 

 a living Bison calf, which, however, survived but a few weeks. 



Two collections of Mammals from southern California, purchased 

 from Mr. F. Stephens, of San Bernardino, Qalifornia, contain excellent 

 specimens of numerous species occurring in that region, in which the 

 Museum collections were previously deficient. Among these may be 

 mentioned the Bound-tailed Spermophile, Spermophilus tereticaudus ; 

 Anthony's Field Mouse, Hesperomys anthonyi; and the Desert Pocket- 

 rat, Dipodomys deserti, of which the describer (Mr. Stephens) had pre- 

 viously presented the type to the Museum. 



