LIWriTEAIT SOCIETY OF LONDON. 4 1 



on their several subjects, and tliat objects on which so much 

 labour has been bestowed are now safely deposited for future 

 study and comparison in our National Collection. 



Since tlie Act of Parliament has been passed which enables the 

 Trustees to part with superfluous duplicates to other kindred 

 iostitutions in the United Kingdom and the Colonies, numerous 

 applications have been received for such specimens ; and not less 

 than 18,336 zoological objects have been transferred to provincial 

 Museums in the course of last year. The selection from the 

 stock of duplicates is left with the curators of those institutions, 

 as they are, or ought to be, the best judges as to which specimens 

 are the most desirable and suitable for their requirements. 



Of the various publications which have been issued in con- 

 nexion with the Zoological collections in the British Museum, 

 one may be referred to as especially illustrating the progress of 

 Zoology, and the corresponding rapid growth of the National 

 Collection, viz. the second edition of the ' Catalogue of Batra- 

 chia Salientia.' The first edition, prepared in 1858, contained 

 descriptions of 283 species, represented in the British Museum 

 by 1691 specimens, wlailst now the number of species described 

 amounts to 800, and the collection of specimens to 4692. But 

 the progress made within the period of less than 25 years is not 

 sufficiently indicated by a mere comparison of tliese numbers. 

 It appears still more marked when we consider the change that 

 has taken place in the systematic arrangement of the class. This 

 is now based upon the osteological investigations made in the 

 period intervening between the two editions : it removes many 

 of the incongruities which have puzzled the student of the 

 geographical distribution of animals, and is sure to be of great 

 assistance to the palaeontologist. 



Another important point connected with the British Museum 

 ia that, after long delay, fair progress has been made in the erection 

 of a separate house for the specimens preserved in spirit. The 

 presence of large quantities of such an inflammable liquid in the 

 vaults of the Museinn has been a source of much anxiety to the 

 Trustees ; and I am very glad that the Treasury has at length 

 consented to supply the funds for the erection of this building, 

 so as to remove a source of danger which might have led to a 

 fearful catastrophe. 



The separation from the great library at Bloomsbury threatened 

 to be a serious hindrance to work ; but since the Government 

 has placed, for five consecutive years, £5,000 at the disposal of 

 the Trustees for the purchase of books for the new Museum, the 

 Departmental libraries have been so much increased as to contain 

 now upwards of 24,000 volumes, in addition to mixed journals, 

 publications of learned Societies, Voyages and Travels, which are 

 being formed into a " Greneral Library " common to all the 

 Departments. 



Passing from the British Museum to Kew, I may mention that 



