Bird and Mammal Collections 33 



cial room. The entire time of Mr. James P. Chapin has been 

 devoted during the past two years to the birds of the Congo, 

 which will constitute one of the volumes of the Congo series. 

 All together the bird collections of the Museum now rank very 

 high in both North American and South American species, 

 and they are beginning to take high rank in African and Eura- 

 sian material. A rough estimate of the total number of birds 

 from these continents is as follows: 



North America, in the Museum and deposit collections 100,000 



South America, interior and Andean series 70,000 



South America, Brewster-Sanford marine collections. 3,000 



Europe and Asia 14,000 



Africa 9,000 



Australia 700 



The enrichment of our collections by the donation of the 

 Brewster-Sanford collection of marine birds will be reinforced 

 by the splendid plans for the survey of the Polynesian bird- 

 life under the direction of Mr. Rollo H. Beck, through the gen- 

 erous gift of Mr. Harry Payne Whitney. Doctor Murphy will 

 assume the scientific description of this collection. 



DESCRIPTION AND EXTENSION OF OUR 

 MAMMAL COLLECTIONS 



For some years the senior member of our Scientific Staff, 

 Dr. Joel A. Allen, has devoted his time chiefly to his own 

 researches on mammals and to the supervision of the able 

 group of younger men whom he has trained in various lines 

 of field and museum work. Fortunately Doctor Allen re- 

 tains the full measure of his productive energy and enthusiasm, 

 and he has prepared for publication a series of studies upon 

 various mammal groups of the Congo, especially the Insecti- 

 vora, Sciuromorpha, Carnivora, and Primates. Crowning his 

 long and distinguished career, he has been appointed Honorary 

 Curator, and his curatorial duties have now been divided as 

 follows : 



Mr. Roy Chapman Andrews, Associate Curator of Mammals of the 

 Eastern Hemisphere, assisted by Mr. Herbert Lang on the African 

 collections. 



Mr. Harold E. Anthony, Associate Curator of Mammals of the Western 

 Hemisphere. 



