398 Linnean Society. [May 24, 



British species of Bees, and of the family Passalida amongst the 

 Coleoptera. 



Mr. Adam White has contributed, with illustrations, the Cleridte, 

 and the first part of the Longicornia. 



In the MoLLUscA, Dr. Louis PfeifFer has given monographs of the 

 Phaneropneumata and the first part of the Pulmonata. In this work 

 the shells are described by the author, the systematic arrangement 

 of the species being revised and the animals described by Dr. Gray. 



Dr. Baird has produced the Catalogue of the Entozoa, with plates 

 of the new species ; and to the pen of Mr. Busk we are indebted for 

 an admirable Monograph of the Marine Polyzoa, with characters and 

 figiires of all the species of this most interesting group. 



As these catalogues contain an immense number of new species, 

 the Museum thus becomes a storehouse, so to speak, of type speci- 

 mens, such as is perhaps scarcely to be found in any other museum 

 in Europe ; and I believe the greatest care is taken so to mark 

 the specimens, as to avoid all future ambiguity in their identifi- 

 cation. 



Whilst I am on the subject of the British Museum, I may state, 

 and I do so with great satisfaction, that Mr. Wollaston has trans- 

 ferred his matchless collection of the Insects of Madeira to the 

 national collection ; and his splendid work thus becomes a typical 

 catalogue of that portion of the Museum. 



The type specimens of all the Mammalia described by Mr. Gould 

 in his work on the Mammals of Australia, are also there ; and a 

 very important addition has been made to the Ichthj^ology by the 

 recent purchase of the collection of Fishes of the late Dr. Lawrence 

 Theodore Gronov, accompanied by MS. descriptions from his pen, 

 illustrated with figures of the more important species. This work, 

 which the Trustees have also printed, forms a very interesting con- 

 tribution to this too much neglected department of Zoology. 



These results of the energy and zeal of the principal zoologist to 

 the Museum, Dr. Gray, will not fail to be appreciated by every one 

 who desires to avail himself of the facilities afforded for studying 

 zoology at that great emporium ; whilst the catalogues, so complete 

 and extensive, are of the greatest value to the students of natural 

 history generally, even without reference to the Museum itself. 



Such are the results of the well-applied liberality of Government as 

 regards the science of zoology ; and it is most gratifying to find that 

 a similar liberality has been shown to the sister science, in the 

 patronage which has been manifested towards the Royal Gardens at 

 Kew. Here, under the direction of Sir William Hooker, the Ben- 



