20 



REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



the back, which are used by all Eskimos, have this backing made of one continuous 

 cord, often of great length, and frequently put on in a very complicated pattern. 



All Eskimo bows from that part of America west of the valley of the Mackenzie 

 River may be referred to one of three types, which are modifications of one primitive 

 type to be found in its least modified form in th9 islands north of Hudson's Bay. 

 These three types have each a definite geographical distribution, and probably owe 

 their peculiarities to the relative facility of obtaining wood suitable for making bows 

 in the different regions where they are found. They are : I. The Arctic type, found 

 from the Mackenzie region to Bering Strait. II. The southern type, from Bering 

 Strait to the island of Kadiak ; and III. The western type, found on the Siberian coast 

 and the island of Saint Lawrence. 



The Arctic type is peculiar in having the cords of the backing twisted into tense 

 cables by a process hitherto undescribed. 



IV. On a spotted dolphin apparently identical with the Prodelphinus doris 

 OF Gray. By Frederick W. True. — This paper contains a description of the external 

 appearance and skeleton of a dolphin received fresh from Pensactda, Fla., and believed 

 to be identical with. Prodelphinus doris (Gray). The species is found to be very abun- 

 dant in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of the South Atlantic States. Although 

 there are skulls in very many museums, external characters of the species have until 

 now remained unknown. 



V. The Florida muskrat, Neofiher alleni, True. By Frederick W. True.— This pa- 

 per contains a detailed description of the superficies and skeleton of a new muskrat 

 having a round tail, a single specimen of which was received from Georgiana, Fla. 

 It appears to replace Fiber zibethicus in this region. 



VI. On the West Indian seal, Monachus tropicalis, Gray. By Frederick W. True 

 and F. A. Lucas. — In this article the skull of Monachus tropicalis Gray is described in 

 detail and compared with M. albiventer and other species of Phocidce. The specimen 

 on whicli the description is based was obtained by Prof. Felipe Poey in Cuba. The 

 skull is the only one, so far as known, in any museum, and the cranial characters of 

 the species have not been hitherto described. The species seems to be closely allied 

 to M. albiventer of the Mediterranean. 



(d) Visitors. 



During the half year the number of visitors to the Museum building 

 has been 107,365, and to the Smithsonian Institution, 60,428. Total, 

 167,793. 



The monthly register, as kept by the doorkeepers, is here recorded : 



Month. 



National 

 Museum. 



Smithson- 

 ian. 



January 



February 



March 



April 



May 



June 



Total 



Daily average 



12, 482 

 13, 577 

 41, 372 

 16,043 

 12, 789 

 11, 102 



107, 365 



6,213 

 6,614 

 28, 723 

 6,851 

 6,087 

 5,940 



428 



The large number of visitors in March was due to the inauguration 

 season. Between March 2 and March 6, 48,148 people visited the two 

 buildings, and in order to give all more ample opportunity the build- 

 ings were kept open until 5 p. in. On March 3, 20,500 people visited 

 the Smithsonian and Museum buildings. 



