13 
example of the rare Guayaquil parrakeet (Brotogerys pyr- 
rhopterus) . 
On the 18th of August Mr. F. Moesler brought from Eu- 
rope his usual collection of birds and reptiles for the Gar- 
den. Among them on this occasion were a kite {Milvus 
idinus) of Europe, a New Zealand parrakeet {Cyanorham- 
phus novse-zealandix), five tesselated snakes {Tropidonotus 
tesselahis), and one vivacious snake {Tarbophis vivax) of 
Europe. 
Two red-headed weaver birds {Quelea quelea) from Africa 
were purchased in October. 
A young agouti from Cartagena, Colombia, presented in 
November by Mr. L. B. Vrooman, Jr., probably belongs to 
Dasyprocta variegata Tschudi. 
Other interesting specimens received were three exam- 
ples of the beautiful horn snake (Farancia abacura), pro- 
cured by Mr. Clarence B. Moore, of Philadelphia, while en- 
gaged in the excavation of Indian mounds in Florida. A 
pair of ring-tailed bassaris {Bassaris astuta) from Texas, 
purchased from a dealer, were the first of these interesting 
animals which have been in the Garden since 1875. 
Captain George K. Hunter, Third United States Cavalry, 
presented at different times during the summer specimens 
of Berlandier's tortoise and the Western diamond rattle- 
snake from Encinal County, Texas, and a fine specimen 
from Oklahoma of the western green form of the black 
snake, Bascanium constrictor {B. flaviventris of authors). A 
young male tapir {Tapirus terrestris) was purchased in May 
to complete a pair, the female having been in the menag- 
erie for some years. 
On May 7th the Hon. William M. Bunn contributed an 
interesting dog of a breed raised by the Ainos of Japan, 
These people, believed to be a remnant of the aborigines 
of that country, still inhabit the northern portion of the 
island of Jesso, and. are stated by ethnologists to be the 
most hair}^ tribe known. The peculiarly dense coat of hair 
covering this dog would seem to indicate that consciously 
or not, these people have followed the principle indulged 
