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REPORT ON THE MAMMALS AND BIRDS. 



i 



By J. A. Allen. 



In the departments of mammalogy and ornithology the addi- 

 tions made since the last Report have been unusually important. 

 There liave been added to the collection of mammals three 

 hundred and eighty skins, representing about one hundred and 

 fifty species ; two hundred and seventy-five skulls (about one 

 hundred and seventy species) ; and one hundred and fifty 

 skeletons (one-third of them mounted), representing nearly an 

 equal number of species. The collection of birds has been in- 

 creased by the addition of twelve hundred skins, representing 

 about four hundred species ; one hundred and fort3^-five skele- 

 tons (about one-fourth of them mounted) ; thirty mounted 

 skulls ; fifty-four sterna, and twenty other parts of skeletons, 

 mounted separately ; nine hundred and thirty-six eggs, and one 

 hundred and ninety-five nests, altogether representing not less 

 than one hundred and forty species. The accessions in both 

 these departments represent mainly species not previously con- 

 tained in the Museum, and- were selected generally with special 

 reference to filling important deficiencies. By far the larger 

 part are the gift of Mr. Agassiz. Several invoices have been re- 

 ceived from the Rev. M. M. Carleton, of Umballa, India, in the 

 vicinity of which locality they were collected. These, added 

 to Mr. Carleton's previous shipments, represent very fully the 

 mammalian and avian faunae of Northern India. Dr. T. M. 

 Brewer, of Boston, has also contributed many nests and eggs of 

 European and American birds, most of the latter being those 

 of rare species. The oological department has been further 

 enriched through the purchase of several considerable lots of 

 eggs and nests collected in Colorado, California, and other 

 parts of the West, embracing a large number of rarities. 



