14 

 DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS AND BIRDS. 



[Under the charge of Mr. J. A. Allen.] 



Mammals. — The collection of monkeys, numbering 120 species, 

 represented by 166 specimens, has been carefully identified, cata- 

 logued, and labeled, thus completing the work of cataloguing 

 and labeling the collection of mammals. There have been added 

 to the mounted collection 15 species of monkeys and 30 species 

 of North American mammals. Other additions, not yet mounted, 

 include an Indian rhinoceros, a yak, several kangaroos, a capy- 

 bara, two monkeys, and various smaller species, many of them 

 received in the flesh from the Central Park Menagerie- A large 

 collection of Arizona mammals, most of them presented by Dr. 

 E. A. Mearns, has been added to the Study Collection. 



About thirty species are still wanting to complete the mounted 

 collection of North American mammals. These, it is hoped, may 

 be added at the earliest opportunity. 



The great need of this department is a study collection of 

 North American mammals, in which each species shall be repre- 

 sented by a good series of both skins and skulls, collected at 

 many different localities, in order to show their phases of geo- 

 graphical variation, as well as the differences depending upon sex 

 and age. Many of the smaller species, as the mice, shrews, moles 

 and bats, should also be represented by specimens preserved in 

 alcohol. Such a collection is absolutely necessary for purposes 

 of study and scientific investigation, and it is of the utmost im- 

 portance that measures be taken at once to secure the requisite 

 material. At present we have not more than a dozen or twenty 

 skins, and about the same number of skulls — hardly enough to be 

 considered as even a nucleus for such a collection. 



Birds. — About one-half of the mounted collection of North 

 American birds has been catalogued and relabeled, in accordance 

 with the new system of nomenclature recently adopted by the 

 American Ornithologists' Union. About one-half of the mounted 

 European birds have also been provided with exhibition labels. 

 These together number about 2,200 specimens, or about two- 

 fifths of the exhibition collection. 



The Study Collection has been rearranged, and about 600 speci- 

 mens catalogued and labeled. This collection now numbers 

 about 4,000 skins of North American birds, and about 2,000 

 skins of foreign birds. The Study Collection of North American 

 birds requires the addition of 10,000 specimens to bring it up to 

 the proper standard of completeness. The mounted collection of 

 North American birds still requires the addition of about ninety 

 species to render it complete. 



The additions during the past year number about 200 mounted 

 birds and 3,250 skins, nearly all North American. The additions 



