28 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



REPORT ON THE REPTILES AND FISHES. 



By Samuel Garman. 



One of the most valuable additions to the collections in these 

 Departments was received from the Fiji Island Expedition of 

 1896, Fishes and Reptiles taken by Professor Agassiz and Messrs. 

 Woodworth and Mayer. The specimens are in fine condition, and 

 supply much wanted material for the Faunal Exhibition Rooms. 

 Other contributions were received from Outram Bangs, Esq., Mr. 

 Harry Clayton, Prof. C. H. Eigenmann, Dr. W. H. Furness, Mr. 

 I. T. Jones, Mr. J. M. Mackaye, E. Montanus, Esq., Prof. A. P. 

 Morse, Prof. G. H. Parker, Lieutenant Wirt Robinson of the 

 U. S. Army, Rev. Robert K. Smith, and Dr. J. H. Wright. Sev- 

 eral specimens desired for special dissections were received from 

 the United States National Museum, through the kindness of 

 Hon. C. D. Walcott. Certain duplicates were given out for stu- 

 dents' use, and others were made subjects of special studies by 

 Mr. Reginald H. Howe, and by Mr. F. Schuyler Mathews, the 

 last illustrating a number of the species in a recently published 

 work. 



Some changes have been made in the alcoholic specimens of the 

 Exhibition Rooms, and preparations made for others, rendered 

 necessary by the bleached condition of specimens that have been 

 exposed to the light for considerable periods. The tendency to 

 bleach, to lose the markings and become uniform pale or white 

 leads to the greater part of the deterioration ; the evaporation from 

 jars once properly closed amounts to little ; the discolored label is 

 easily replaced, but the faded specimen must be discarded for a 

 new and fresh one. On account of the oily tissues of many spe- 

 cies, discoloration continues in the alcohol for many years, though 

 constantly growing less in amount. 



