12 



tunity which may offer. The extreme interest which the skeleton 

 of the Mastodon excites is an indication of this necessity, and it 

 seems to me that expenditures in this direction would be of 

 greater benefit to the Museum than of those of any other depart- 

 ment of natural objects. 



DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS AND BIRDS. 



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



Mammals. — The additions to the collection of Mammals are 

 numerous and important. They include 15 mounted skins, 2 

 mounted skeletons, 490 unmounted skins, 35 unmounted skele- 

 tons, and 370 skulls. The mounted specimens include a male, a 

 female, a suckling young, and a skeleton of the rare West Indian 

 Seal {Monachus tropicalis), previously represented by only two 

 specimens in all the museums of the world. Also several Mon- 

 keys, a very rare North American Shrew (Atophyrax bendirei), 

 and a skeleton of an American Tapir ( Tapirus americanus). 



In my last year's report attention was called to the great need 

 of a Study Collection of North American mammals. The forma- 

 tion of such a collection is now well under way. Over 200 

 beautifully prepared skins, accompanied by their skulls, have 

 already been received, and orders still out are being gradually 

 filled. 



The event of the year, however, is the Museum Expedition to 

 the Bad Lands of Montana, undertaken by Messrs. D. G. Elliot and 

 Jenness Richardson, at the expense of Mr. Morris K. Jesup and 

 Mr. James M. Constable, in search, primarily, of Bisons. While 

 the expedition was only partly successful as regards its principal 

 purpose, it was eminently so in a general sense, the objects gath- 

 ered including fine series of skins and skeletons of the Pronghorn 

 Antelope, Mule Deer, Coyote, and of several of the smaller mam- 

 mals of the region visited. Two Bison skins were obtained, and 

 about 10 skeletons, besides parts of many others, and about 75 

 skulls. It was found that the small herd of Bisons reported as 

 occurring in the region visited had been exterminated by Indians 

 and cowboys before the expedition arrived. Besides the speci- 

 mens of the now nearly extinct Bison obtained by the Museum 

 Expedition, a head and a skeleton have been received during the 

 year, the latter being the gift of Robert Harris, Esq., of this city. 



Further additions entitled to special mention is a collection of 

 15 skeletons and 52 skulls of Brazilian mammals, added by pur- 

 chase ; 72 skins, with their skulls, from Arizona, presented ; a 

 Mountain Goat {Mazama montana), and a Siberian Sheep [Ovis 

 nivicola), also by purchase ; finally, the skeleton of the celebrated 

 Elephant " Samson," — the largest Asiatic Elephant ever brought 

 to America — presented by Mr. W. W. Cole, of this city. This 



