Nezv York State Education Department 



Science Division, November 2, 1908 



Hon. Andrczv S. Draper LL. D. 



Commissioner of Education 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a series of papers re- 

 lating to the ostelogy of birds by R. W. Shlifeldt M. D. of 

 New York. 



Dr Shufeldt's eminent standing as a comparative anatomist, his 

 generosity in donating to the State Museum his very valuable col- 

 lection of bird skeletons and the appositeness of these papers to 

 other studies of the New York birds now in course of publication 

 by us justify the printing of these contributions as a bulletin of the 

 State Museum and I so recommend. 



Very respectfully yours 



John M. Clarke 



Director 



■ State of New York 

 Education Department 



commissioner's room 



Approved for publication this $th^day of November 1908 



