12 



COMPAEATIYE ZO-OLOGY. [June, 



services of these men were not always required in the 

 Museum, I set them to work on the improvement of the 

 grounds, when they were not otherwise engaged. I mention 

 this because a casual observer might think that money had 

 been spent on flower-beds and gravel-walks, which could have 

 been used to greater advantage in the interior of the Museum. 

 The actual money expended on the grounds during your 

 absence has. not been more than one hundred dollars. 



Rejport on the Mammalsy by J. A. Allen. 



To the collection of mammals few additions have been 

 made since the last report. A considerable number of the 

 skins and skeletons of the large ruminants, obtained last 

 year by the Kocky Mountain Expedition, have been mounted 

 and will be placed on exhibition as soon as the cases in the 

 large hall are ready for their reception. All the unmounted 

 skins are now catalogued and safely and conveniently stored 

 in the tightly closing cans mentioned in preceding reports. 

 The alcoholic collection has been carefully revised, and no 

 loss of specimens has as yet occurred. It is to be hoped, 

 however, that all now stored in barrels may be soon removed 

 to copper cans. As the necessary cans have already been 

 ordered, and some are just coming to hand ; it seems probable 

 that during the ensuing year the whole collection will be 

 placed in copper or glass receptacles, so that in future their 

 liability to injury by the decay of kegs and the consequent 

 e«cape of the spirits will be wholly obviated. 



The greater part of the large number of skeletons sent to 

 Prof. Ward last year for preparation has been returned to the 

 Museum, and generally in a highly satisfactory condition. 

 Much material of this character still needs a similar treat- 

 ment, in order to render it available to its fullest extent for 

 scientific examination. It is to be hoped that this work may 

 be continued for the entire osteological collection. 



A few alcoholic specimens have been sent out in exchange, 

 and a skeleton of Bison Americanus has been forwarded to 

 Dr. H. Dohrn, of Stettin, Prussia. 



