REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 53 



pended in the preparation of an original report on the forest trees of 

 America, by Dr. Gray. This work, however, has been interrupted 

 for some time, but will be resumed, it is expected, during the present 

 year. 



General Zoology. — A large part of the collections made by the In- 

 stitution belong to the general class of zoology, intended to advance 

 the study of animal life upon the continent of America. 



The ornithology of America has always been a speciality of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, more efforts having been made to perfect its 

 collection in this department than any other. The Institution has pub- 

 lished the first part of a work by Dr. T. M. Brewer, suitably illus- 

 trated, on the distribution and habits of North American birds during 

 the breeding season, with descriptions and figures of their eggs, the 

 materials being derived entirely from the collections of the Institution, 

 and mostly made at its special request. This is the first separate 

 work on North American zoology ever prepared. A catalogue of 

 North American birds, prepared by Professor S. F. Baird, has been 

 extensively used at home and abroad in labelling collections. 



Professor Baird is now engaged in preparing a general report 

 on our knowledge of North American ornithology to the present 

 date, with the addition of the species of Central and South America 

 and the West Indies; the materials being derived almost entirely 

 from the specimens collected by the Institution, which have been in- 

 creased since the publication of the extensive work on the same sub- 

 ject by Professor Baird in the Pacific railroad report, from 12,000 to 

 35,000. 



The collections which have been made by the Institution for the 

 illustration of mammalia have been very extensive, amounting to 

 0,000 specimens, and have not°only included many duplicates of the 

 species previously known, but a very large number entirely new to 

 science. A catalogue of North American mammals, chiefly those 

 collected by the Institution, prepared by Professor Baird, has been 

 published and distributed to those interested in the study ; also a 

 monograph of North American bats, prepared by Dr. H. Allen. 

 Materials are now in course of accumulation to complete the account 

 of the classes of mammals of North America which have not been in- 

 cluded in the publications of the Institution and Pacific railroad 

 reports. 



As with all American vertebrata, the collections of reptiles and 

 fishes made by the Institution have been very extensive, and numer- 



