MAMMALS AND BIRDS* J. A. ALLEN, Curator The additions to the collection of mammals number 476 specimens, of which 210 were received by gift, 66 by exchange and 200 by purchase. The latter include 130 Accessions from British Guiana, secured through the coöperation of the New York Zoological Society, under the direction of C. William Beebe, director of its British Guiana Tropical Research Station. They consist mainly of medium sized species, chiefly monkeys and carnivores, and include many skeletons as well as skins and skulls, this collection. forming the most important collection of mammals the Museum has ever received from this part of South America. Other specimens purchased were a number of important de. siderata for exhibition. Many specimens have been received in the flesh, some of them of great value, from the New York Zoological Society's Menagerie in New York City. The usual number has also been received from the New York City Department of Parks. Other gifts include a collection of 65 small mammals from France, presented by Mr. James P. Chapin, Assistant Curator of Ornithology. The accessions to the ornithological collection number about 4,225, of which 625 were received by gift, about 350 by exchange, 20 by purchase, and 3,227 from Museum expeditions, collected in Venezuela and Peru. About 100 of those acquired by gift were received in the flesh, in large part from the New York Zoölogical Society. The gifts also include about 80 sets of birds' eggs. Mr. Roy C. Andrews, Associate Curator of Mammals of the Eastern Hemisphere, has continued his work in Northern China and Mongolia as chief of the Museum's Field Work Second Asiatic Zoological Expedition, but none of the rich material thus obtained reached the Museum during Under the Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology (see also pages 212 to 216). 1919. Late advices indicate that his efforts have been extraordinarily successful. His field work ended late in November, and preparations for his return with the collections early in 1920 were under way. His collection of mammals numbers about 2,000 specimens and comprises good series for mounting of the larger game animals of the region, including the Argali, Goral, Takin, Elk and Deer. The smaller species are represented in large series, the collection as a whole forming the most important ever procured, by a single expedition, in eastern Asia. Mr. H. E. Anthony, Associate Curator of Mammals of the Western Hemisphere, left New York in November on an expedition to Jamaica for an intensive exploration of the island. for fossil and recent mammals. A preliminary report indicates that the results of his field work will prove of high importance, especially in respect to the extinct mammal fauna of Jamaica. Mr. H. Watkins is continuing his field work in Peru, from whom about 2,500 bird skins have been received during the present year. Study The indexing and rearrangement of the research collection of mammals has made progress, although the work has been greatly retarded by the absence of two members of the staff during the greater part of the year, Associate Curator Andrews having been in the field as head of the Second Asiatic Expedition, while Associate Curator Anthony was retained in the United States military service during the early months of the year. On his return to the Museum in April, he took up the work of identifying and distributing recently accumulated material. Rather more than a thousand specimens of North American mammals were identified and installed in their proper sequence, and similar work was begun on the large accumulation of South American specimens. The department was unfortunately deprived of the services of Albert E. Lurch through his illness and death later in the year, thus further reducing the force, removing a faithful and efficient assistant whose |