34 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



REPORT ON THE BIRDS. 



By William Brewster. 



Not since the date of its foundation has the Museum received, 

 within an equal space of time, so many valuable birds as have come 

 into its possession during the past year. Most important of these 

 acquisitions is the E. A. & O. Bangs collection, a princely gift. 

 It contains, approximately, twenty-four thousand skins, chiefly 

 from North and Middle America and from the West Indies. Most 

 of those from Central America were taken by Mr. Wilmot W. 

 Brown and Mr. C. F. Underwood, both intelligent and energetic 

 collectors, the former noted for his skill in preparing admirable 

 bird and mammal skins under difficult conditions. 



The determinations of species and subspecies were made by 

 Mr. Outram Bangs, with the assistance of Mr. Ridgway and Dr. 

 Richmond. Hence the specimens represent a combination of au- 

 thority which gives them exceptional value. They include, more- 

 over, the types of the new forms which Mr. Bangs has described 

 within recent years. As far as their quality is concerned it is quite 

 safe to say that no one, at least on this side of the Atlantic, has 

 ever before formed a collection containing so many beautiful and 

 perfectly prepared bird skins. 



The Thayer collection, from the interior of central and western 

 China, constitutes another gift of no ordinary value and importance. 

 The specimens, all of which are skins, number several thousands 

 and their quality is very satisfactory. 



In addition to the specimens above mentioned there have been 

 acquired by gift: — from Mr. JohnE. Thayer, twenty-six mounted 

 birds and forty-four skins; from Messrs. J. W. Hastings and L. J. 

 de G. de Milhau, forty mounted birds and ten skins from Iceland. 



For other desirable specimens thanks are due to Messrs. Thomas 



