Report of the President 57 



the other the gradual increase in size and effectiveness of the 

 jaws. 



Owing to the small size of this exhibition hall, it is not 

 possible to introduce many additional specimens; progress 

 must be rather along the lines of improving the artistic and 

 scientific detail of the exhibit. 



Amphibians and Reptiles. — The chief event in this field 

 was the completion and opening of the Cryptobranchus Group. 

 This represents the Giant Salamander, or Hellbender, in 

 various activities amid the rocks in the shallows of the Alle- 

 gheny River. A painted background, which blends with the 

 water, rocks and trees in the foreground, gives the illusion of 

 a sunlit vista up a shallow stream flowing over a bed strewn 

 with rocks, and overhung by the drooping foliage of trees. 

 The materials and artistic details for the group were prepared 

 under the supervision of Miss Dickerson. The scientific data 

 for it were supplied by Bertram G. Smith, an authority on this 

 creature, who has made intimate studies of it in its native 

 haunts and has written extensively on it. 



Two other groups are also under way. One is to represent 

 the common toad with its various associates, as it appears in 

 its natural surroundings in New England, toward the end of 

 spring. Some progress has also been made on a group of 

 that interesting reptile, the California Chuckawalla, based on 

 materials collected in southern California in 19 10, by Charles 

 H. Townsend, Director of the New York Aquarium. 



In the synoptic series, 59 amphibians and reptiles were 

 added to the exhibit. Among these may be mentioned, as of 

 special interest, mounts of Heloderma, Varanus, Crocodilus, and 

 casts of Rana goliath, Ophisaurus and Bufo alvarius. 



Study Collections. — During the year the study, or 

 reserve, collection of fishes was overhauled by Mr. Nichols, 

 and the specimens rearranged on an improved plan. The 

 same was done for the herpetological collections by Miss 

 Dickerson. About 1, 100 cards were added to the card catalogs 

 in the department, giving references to some 3,100 speci- 

 mens. The collections now number, roughly, 8,000 fishes, 

 7,000 fossil fishes, 7,000 amphibians and reptiles. An 



