LTNNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDOK. 89 



animals. The arrangement of the Coral Gallery has also been 

 completed, and the contents — which include, beside Corals, 

 Polyzoa and Sponges — form by their nature, as well as by the 

 appropriate mode of tlieir exhibition, one of the most attractive 

 parts of the collection. The Fish Gallery will be opened mthin 

 a few weeks, awaiting only the completion of some table-cases for 

 the exhibition of a typical series of skeletons. 



Of Guides to the Exhibition Galleries, those of Mammalia and 

 Eeptilia have been issued. They have been prepared with the 

 object of being of service not only to those who want an explana- 

 tory aid on a single visit to the Museum, but also to those, fewer 

 in number, who desire, by closer study, to acquaint themselves 

 with the general arrangement and the principal features of these 

 classes of animals. That the Guides fulfil this object may be 

 concluded from the fact that a second edition is already required 

 of that of Mammalia. 



The arrangement of the collections formed for the purposes of 

 study has kept pace with the general progress, and three volumes 

 of the zoological publications have been issued since the last 

 anniversary of the Society. The first is the first volume of a 

 ' Catalogue of Lizards,' by Mr. Boulenger, a work tlie want of 

 which has been long felt, not only by the Herpetologist, but 

 by all who have engaged in the examiuatiun of general biological 

 questions. The second is a ' Eeport on the Zoological Collections 

 made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean during the Yoyage of H.M.S. 

 ' Alert.' ' This goodly-sized volume of 680 pages and 54 plates 

 has been worked out by the members of the staff of the 

 Zoological Department, and shows with how much Zealand ability 

 Dr. Coppinger availed himself of his opportunities. The third 

 Museum pubhcation is the tenth volume of the ' Catalogue of 

 Birds,' with the scope and value of which all workers in Ornitho- 

 logy are familiar. And in connection with this, mention should be 

 made of the important and extensive additions which have been 

 made to the collection of birds within the last twelve months. 

 Two Fellows of our Society, who for many years have taken the 

 keenest interest in the development of the National Collection, 

 as they have done in the advancement of science, Messrs. Godman 

 and Salvin, have transferred their magnificent collection of South 

 and Central American birds to theTrustees of the British Museum. 

 Tiie arrival of the famed collection of Indian birds formed by A. 

 Hume, Esq., C.B., may be expected in the present year, and will 

 further contribute to render the National Collection unrivalled 

 in this branch of study. I cannot enter into the details of the 

 numerous additions recently made to the other branches of the 

 collection (some 45,000 in number) ; but entomologists will be 

 glad to hear that the better half of the types contained in the 

 collection of Lucanidce — to which Major Parry, a Fellow whose 

 recent loss by death the Society has to deplore, had devoted the 

 energy of a lifetime — has been secured for the National Collec- 



