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[[embossed image of a bird]]

58

Present condition of the Collection.

The number of species of North American mammals not represented in the present collection is an exceedingly small one.  Of the different orders the rodents are unquestionably best represented, but the series of carnivores and bats is also very large.  No important form is wanting in any order except the cetacea.  This order [[strikethrough]] is [[/strikethrough]] is nowhere well represented, and the Smithsonian collection is [[strikethrough]] perhaps [[/strikethrough]] excelled by, perhaps, only two or three others in the world.  Special attention has recently been concentrated upon it and the additions within a few years have been of remarkable importance.

As we pass farther and farther away from North America we find the [[strikethrough]] collection [[/strikethrough]] representation of the faunas growing less and less complete.  The Central American series is tolerably full, but shows some notably deficiencies.  Of South American forms the number in the collection is still less.  Of European species we [[strikethrough]] f [[/strikethrough]] have a fair number, of Asiatic species very few indeed, and of