16 



COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



REPORT ON SELACHIAXS. BATRACHIAXS, AND REPTILES. 



By S. TT. Gakjian. 



Owing to the large amount of field work, since the last 

 report, less than half the year has been devoted to the usual 

 Museum work on the collections. The card catalogue, intro- 

 duced as an experiment in these departments, succeeds admir- 

 ably ; its convenience, and the amount of time and labor 

 saved by its use, are found to be considerable. 



SelacTiians. — During the year, an excellent lot of speci- 

 mens, from the Xorth Sea, was added to this collection. Mr. 

 F. A. Bell presented a fine example of the panther shark, 

 from Xatal. A series of the Rajee was sent to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and a number of specimens of dififerent 

 genera and families have been given out to students. The 

 duplicates 'are being prepared for distribution amongst the 

 correspondents of the Museum. 



BatracTdans and JReptiles. — The institution is indebted to 

 Col. Edward A. Flint of Peru, Allen Lesley, Esq., of Central 

 America, Rev. M. M. Carleton of India, Prof. N. S. Shaler 

 of Cambridge, Mrs. George E. Ryder of Cambridgeport, and 

 Prof. W. M. Osband of Michigan, for valuable additions to 

 these collections. 



The explorations of Mr. Alex. Agassiz, in South America, 

 1874-75, secured many examples of species of which we had 

 no representatives. By^ exchanges with the Boston Society 

 of Xatural History, animals new to the department are ob- 

 tained. A collection was forwarded to Prof. Osband. Vari- 

 ous specimens have been drawn by the college instructors for 

 the students. A number of large reptiles, only fit for skele- 

 tons, have been withdrawn from the alcoholic collection. 



The additions to the catalogue of identifications, include 

 many Selachians and Reptiles, all of the European Batrachians, 

 and those of North America. 



It is with pleasure these collections are reported in good 

 condition. 



