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3.

collection was previously deficient.

It is very desirable that accessions of this character should be multiplied. 

In a region like North America, where in many cases the range of a species extends over thousands of square miles and the species itself is differentiated into numerous geographical races, a large series of specimens will alone suffice to enable the students of zoogeography or the systematish to work out the problems with which he has to deal; and since the characters which are chiefly relied upon for distinguishing sub-species are external, it is necessary that the skins should be prepared in the very best manner.  It is in this direction that the growth of the reference series of the Natural collection ought to tend.  The work of the past year is but