102 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



Through the courtesy of Prof. David P. Todd, of Amherst College, 

 Massachusetts, in charge of the expedition, arrangements were made 

 whereby Mr. William Harvey Brown, of the National Museum, was 

 detailed to accompany the expedition in the interest of the Museum, 

 for the purpose of making collections of natural history objects, espe- 

 cially fishes and mammals. 



The expedition party sailed on October 16, 1889, on the United States 

 steamer Pensacola. The steamer served as headquarters for Mr. Brown 

 and his party, and in making the collections he has been very gener- 

 ously assisted by the officers and seamen. 



At the Azores, Mr. Brown made a small collection of fishes and shells. 

 Writing from Cape Town on February 3, 1890, he says: 



We have succeeded in filling 15 tanks and a number of jars and bottles with alco- 

 holics, besides collecting a large number of plants and insects, some skeletons, and 

 some excellent anthropological material. The imgulates of South Africa are rapidly 

 disappearing before the advance of civilization ; some are already scarce. If we want 

 a good representation of these in our Museum, now is the time to get them. 



Several important collections were received in June, 1890. 



From preliminary reports prepared by some of the curators in the 

 Museum the followiug preliminary statement has been compiled : 



Ethnology. — The Department of Ethnology received a collection of 

 objects, consisting of an idol used in fetish-dance, with grass-fringe dress; 

 gaming-stool, with seeds used in playing; carrying or fishing-basket 

 of twined open work ; long carrying-basket or frame, showing work of 

 weaving ; finer specimen of carrying-basket ; complete outfit of pro- 

 fessional carrier, head-band and staff ; fruit-wallet ; throwing-club ; 

 hoe (of native manufacture) ; bottle of fetish-paint, made of rawhide : 

 pad worn on the arm ; musical instrument with gourd resonator; mus- 

 ical instrument (stringed) ; drum used in fetish ceremonies ; weaving 

 outfit, distaff, spindle, cotton-ginning sticks, loom complete with speci- 

 mens half done ; pipe of clay ; three pottery dishes ; fish-fyke, and fish- 

 spear. All of these objects are new and very acceptable. 



Mammals. — The mammals collected by the Eclipse Expedition are 33 

 iu number and represent 16 species. With the exception of 7 speci- 

 mens all were collected at Cunga, on the Coanza River, in Angola. 

 Only two of the species, the Black Eat (Mus rattus) and the Bonte-bok 

 (Alcelaphus pygargus), were previously represented in the National 

 Museum, and the collection, though small, is of considerable interest. 



The following is a list of the mammals received : 



Carnivores. 



Genetta pardina Geoff. Pardine Genet. Male, adult. Cunga. 



Antelopes. 



Tragelaphus gratut Sclater. Bush Buck. 



Male, Cunga, December 28, 1889. (18793.) 

 Female, Cunga, December 27, 1889. (18794.) 



