1870.] 



SENATE— No. 170. 



15 



in the Museum is now not far from twenty thousand specimens, 

 (excluding above thirteen hundred lots — four thousand specir 

 mens — embraced in the embrjological series,) more than one- 

 half of which are alcoholic. About eleven thousand two hun- 

 dred are catalogued. The work of cataloguing and systemati- 

 cally arranging the alcoholic collection is comparatively slow, 

 it requiring more than four times the amount of time to 

 thus arrange a given number of alcoholic specimens that it does 

 the same number of skins. It is expected, however, that during 

 the coming year the South American lots will be finally ar- 

 ranged, and that before many months the entire alcoholic col- 

 lection will be transferred to glass and stone vessels. 



In the last report attention was called to the want of dupli- 

 cate specimens for exchange, and, in respect to the water birds, 

 the lack of specimens to properly represent many of the North 

 American species in the reserve collection. Owing to certain 

 unfavorable circumstances little has been done to supply this 

 want, and the importance of providing for it is again urged. 

 Through the addition during the present year of some seven 

 hundred specimens of Florida birds, partly obtained by purchase 

 and partly by the curator during a vacation trip to that State, 

 the birds of Eastern North America are now in general well 

 represented, while of some of the most interesting species the 

 Museum contains very large and valuable suites. 



The circular in reference to obtaining data concerning the 

 geographical distribution of the birds of North America, issued 

 by the Museum last year, has received gratifying attention. 

 While the number of local lists received is not yet large, assur- 

 ances that such aid will be forthcoming are not wanting. In 

 addition to the list of Cuban birds, received from Dr. Gundlach, 

 mentioned in the report of last year, a list of the birds of 

 Buffalo, New York, with annotations, has been received from 

 Mr. Charles Linden, custodian of the Buffalo Natural History 

 Society ; a partial list of the birds of Clarkson, Ohio, from Mr. 

 Thomas Hale ; notes on the arrival of birds in spring at Rich- 

 mond, Indiana, from Mr. L. B. Case, and an annotated list of 

 the species found in the breeding season at Marshall, Michigan, 

 from D. Darwin Hughes, Esq. An annotated list of the winter 

 birds of East Florida, has been received from Mr. G. A. Board- 

 man, and another from Mr. C. J. Maynard. I should also here 



