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Major G.E. Dobson, Surg. Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley England., H.W. Henshaw, Mass., and R. Ridgway, Wheatland, Ind.  From this extended list it will be seen that the public interest in  the Reptile Department is constantly increasing.  We are also under great obligations to Prof. Snow, of the Kansas Univ., who loaned us a unique and beautiful specimen of Crotalus Lepidus, which has been drawn as one of the illustrations for the Manual of Herpetology in course of preparation by the curator.

As was mentioned by the Curator in his last annual report the routine work of the Department has been transacted by himself and two young assistants, both of whom are already possessed of considerable knowledge concerning reptiles.  The ordinary business necessitating constant labor being as follows.  All collections received are at once to be numbered with a metallic tag and entered in the accession book, having been previously identified if possible. They are then after a careful examination placed in either the reserve or general series, an additional record being made in order that in case a specimen is needed it may be at once found according to its classification.  In explanation of the terms "reserve and general series" it may be said that the entire collection of American reptiles is divided into two great parts, one called the "Reserve Series."  It is to be greatly regretted that proper space is not available to admit of a proper display of an exhibit set of both domestic and foreign reptiles.

It has long been the intention of the Curator to arrange in the same matter the collection of foreign reptiles, but in the