REPORT FOE THE TEAR 1901, 241 



A most important addition, due to the forethought of a many- 

 years donor, Mr. J. A. Boyd, of Eden, reached us in the form of 

 a Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus, Gunner.), taken off that 

 place. It is the second record only, so far as we know, for Aus- 

 tralia, the previous capture having been off the coast of Victoria. 

 It is nine feet long. 



At the close of the year, the exhibited Fish Collection numbered 

 1,112 specimens, either dry and mounted or in spirits. 



The specimens received by donation during the year were two 

 hundred and ninety-nine; by exchange forty-two; by purchase 

 sixteen; and eighty-five were collected. 



Osteology. 

 (Mr. E. R. Waite, Assistant-in-Charge). 



Three very important and interesting acquisitions were added 

 to the Osteological series last year. A salted example of the 

 Atlantic Luvaru ( Liivarus imperialis, Raf.), was presented by 

 the Fishery Commissioners. It was cast up on the bank of the 

 river at Bermagui, N. S. Wales, and forms the first occurrence of 

 the fish in the Pacific, so far as we know. From this, notwith- 

 standing the salting process it had undergone, a very excellent 

 skeleton was prepared. 



For the first time a skeleton of the Chimaera or Ghost Shark 

 (Chimcera ogilbyi, Waite), is present in the Museum, having been 

 prepared from a fresh specimen, presented by Mr. A. G. Plate. 



The third skeleton is a most remarkable instance of "tenostosis," 

 or tendon ossification in a bird, a Native Companion (Grus aus- 

 tralasianus, Gould), received from the Zoological Gardens. 



A fine head of a Babirussa ( B. babirussa, Linn.), from Pagoe- 

 jaman, Celebes, was presented by Mr. E. V. Bensusan. 



By purchase, the skull of a New Caledonian was procured, 

 possessing an additional small and ill-developed molar in each 

 lower ramus, four instead of three. 



A commencement was this year made towards the exhibition 

 of a Structural Osteological series, by mounting eighty-three 

 shoulder-girdles of Birds. 



Thirty-two specimens were received in all by donation; two 

 were purchased ; and six collected. 



Insecta, Myriapoda, and Arachnida. 



(Mr. W. J. Rainbow, Assistant-in-Charge). 



Mr. Rainbow reports that of the two new cabinets provided 

 last year, many specimens were placed in that devoted to the 

 Arachnida. The new case for Australian Moths is fully occupied 

 already. The whole of the Australian Coleoptera and Life-histories 



