1874.] SENATE— No. 200. 9 



Report on the Mammals and Birds , by J. A. Allen. 



The removal of the alcoholic specimens of mammals and 

 birds from kegs and barrels to copper cans, mentioned in the 

 last report as then in progress, was completed early in the 

 year, so that everything in the alcoholic series is now in a 

 safe and satisfactory condition. At the same time the cata- 

 loguing of the alcoholic birds and mammals was completed, 

 and the specimens systematically classified and arranged in 

 the most convenient manner for access. During the year the 

 labelling of the unmounted skins of both mammals and birds 

 has been finished, and the collection placed in systematic 

 order. The cataloguing of the collection of birds' nests and 

 eggs has also been completed. In this work important aid 

 was rendered by Mr. Ernest Ingersoll, whose time during the 

 past year has been almost wholly given to this work. The 

 labelling of the alcoholic collections is now in progress, as is 

 also the work of marking and cataloguing the osteological 

 material of the mammalogical and ornithological departments. 

 The alcoholic specimens and the skins may now be reported 

 as not only in a permanently safe condition, but as, in the 

 main, satisfactorily arranged for ready access for purposes of 

 study. 



The most important additions to these departments during 

 the past year, have been the collections received from the 

 Hassler Expedition, and a series of mounted skeletons and 

 casts purchased of Prof. H. A. Ward of Rochester, N. Y. 

 The former include about 250 human crania from Ancon, near 

 Callao, Peru; numerous skulls of Otaria and Ar otocephalus ; 

 imperfect skeletons and skins of Arctocepi halus saidAuchenia, 

 and many specimens of both birds and mammals in alcohol and 

 skins. The alcoholic collection of birds includes over forty 

 penguins, of several species. One of the alcoholic skins of 

 Arctocephalus Falklandicus has been successfully mounted by 

 Prof. Ward. Among the specimens purchased of Prof. Ward 

 are mounted skeletons of the giraffe, camel, lion, several spe- 

 cies of monkeys, and marsupials, of Castor, Hystrix, Basso- 

 ris, Globiocep halus, Uydroc/mrus, Dasyprocta, Echidna, etc., 

 and also of representatives of all the principal families of 



