Oct., 1905. Annual Report of the Director. 



357 



collection of vertebrate fossils was continued during four months of 

 the summer, by a party under the direction of Assistant Curator 

 Riggs. It was deemed best to devote the time to the collection of 

 fossil mammals rather than of reptiles as heretofore, since several im- 

 portant groups of mammals remained as yet unrepresented in the 

 collections, and the reptilian skeletons occupy so much space as to 

 make their exhibition impracticable at present. The work of collect- 

 ing was carried on for the most part in the White River beds of South 

 Dakota. The results were highly gratifying, as regards both the 

 quantity and quality of the material obtained. Remains of the 

 water-deer, Leptomeryx, which are usually of rare occurrence, were 

 found m abundance and enough material obtained to insure one or 

 more complete skeletons, together with a slab about 10 by 4 feet in 

 size on which massed skulls and skeletons will appear in relief. Re- 

 mains of the sabre-tooth cat, Dinictis, and the primitive horse. 

 Mesohippus, were also obtained in sufficient quantity to insure a 

 mounted skeleton of each. Of the American rhinoceros, Acerathe- 

 rium, five skulls were obtained; of the cursocial rhinoceros, Hyraco- 

 don,four heads and a partial skeleton; of the carnivores, Hyaenodon, 

 Daphasnus, and Hoplophoneus, a number of good skulls; of the 

 large suilline, Elotherium, three heads; of the gigantic Brontops 

 one fine skull; of the rarer ungulates, Hyopotamus, Anthracothe- 

 rium, and Protoceras, representative skulls; also a number of 

 skulls of squirrels and other small mammals, and the only complete 

 skull of a lizard known from this formation. The shipment from 

 the field aggregated about four tons in weight. Several dozen 

 photographs illustrative of the work of collecting and the geology 

 of the region were also made by the expedition. The Chief Taxi- 

 dermist and his assistants were in the field intermittently, investi- 

 gating the Fox River region of Illinois, securing ornithological 

 notes and material to be utilized later for group work. Messrs. 

 Heller and Barber, having returned from southern Mexico, were 

 dispatched during the early part of the year to Guatemala, where 

 they were successful, taking many specimens for the systematic and 

 study collections. Probably the most important expedition is the 

 one dispatched to British East Africa under the direction of Chief 

 Taxidermist Akeley. In the report on local field work by the Depart- 

 ment of Ornithology, the Assistant Curator explains that in order 

 to extend the study of local distribution of birds, longer and, conse- 

 quently, fewer trips were made this year than previously. Inasmuch 

 as the collection in this department is far more complete in eggs and 



