38 NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



riety of the red fox, or Vu/pesfulvus, was received from Dr. Ackley and 

 Dr. Kirtland, of Cleveland. Various kinds of Sorcx, and other small 

 mammals, from Reverend Chas. Fox, of Grosse Isle, Michigan.* The 

 foetus of a whale, from the arctic regions, was presented by Lieutenant 

 Maury. The fresh skin and horns of a fallow deer (Ccrvus dama), and 

 elk (Elaphus canadensis,) by Colonel Tuley, of Clarke county, Virginia, 

 whose extensive park contains many fine specimens of these species. 

 A pair of living wild cats (Lynx nifus,) were sent by Dr. Evans through 

 Dr. D. D. Owen. The most important additions, however, have been 

 received from Lieutenant Trowbridge, collected on the Pacific coast, 

 including skins of deer, wolves, foxes, hares, lynxes, &c, with many 

 small mammals. In this collection are several new species of hare. 



Birds. — A very large collection of the birds of California was received 

 from Lieutenant Trowbridge, embracing nearly all of the larger aquatic 

 species of the coast, and another from Mr. Cutis. A collection of over 

 100 skins, from Gustavus Wurdemann, at Calcasieu, Louisiana, in- 

 cluded several very rare and new species. Dr. Brewer presented some 

 specimens from Wisconsin, and Mr. William M. Penrose an albino 

 blackbird from near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. 



Reptiles and fishes. — As usual, it is in this department that the addi- 

 tions have been greatest. The species of Wisconsin have been received 

 from Dr. Ho} r and Mr. Barry ; of New Jersey and New York, from 

 Mr. Brevoort and myself; of Mississippi, from Colonel Wailes and 

 Reverend Benjamin Chase; of California, from Dr. Newberry, Mr. 

 Bowman, and Lieutenant Trowbridge; of Illinois, from Mr. J. D. Ser- 

 geant, Robert Kennicott, and Mr. Harris; of South Carolina, from Pro- 

 fessor Holmes, Mrs. Daniel, and Dr. Barker; of North Carolina, from 

 Mr. Bridger, Mr. McNair, and Mr. Lineback; of Louisiana, from Mr. 

 Wurdemann; of Missouri, from Dr. Hoy, Dr. Engelmann, and Mr. 

 Lear; of Alabama, from Mr. Edgeworth ; of Minnesota, from Mr. 

 Riggs; of Tennessee, from Professors Owen and Johnson; of Chi- 

 huahua, from Mr. Potts; of Gulf of Mexico, from Lieutenant Wright; 

 of Surinam, from Dr. Wyman ; of Brazil, from Mr. Austin ; of Trinidad 

 and Key West, from Professor W. H. Thomas; of Africa, from Dr. 

 Steele ; together with many others. My limited space will not allow 

 me to go into details respecting these collections beyond stating that 

 those of Lieutenant Trowbridge are the most important, adding, as they 

 do, some fifty new species of fishes alone to the North American fauna. 

 Collections of reptiles deposited by Dr. Webb, who procured them in 

 northern Mexico, New Mexico, and Texas, are likewise very valuable. 



Quite a large number of living reptiles — snakes, lizards, turtles, &c, 

 were received during the year, but, owing to the want of means for 

 their proper preservation, few- survived. Among those, however, at 

 present in apparent good health, may be mentioned a northern rattle- 

 snake (Ck&talus durimis) from Virginia; the black mussasauga,(Crotalo- 

 yhorus mm'sasauga,) sent from Ohio by Dr. Kirtland ; six speci- 

 mens of C. tergeminus, Say, or prairie rattle, from Illinois, by Robert 



* To tliis gentleman the Institution has been under very great obligations for numerous 

 specimen! illustrating the zoology of Michigan, accompanied, usually, by copious notes on 

 the habits, and peculiarities of the species, it is with profound regret that 1 have to record his 

 death by cholera during the past summer. 



