(i80 Letftrs, Extracts, Notices, i^c. 



eggs have been acquired during the year, viz., that of tlic 

 Tawny Owl {Sijrnivm aluco), presented by Mr. C. B. Hors- 

 burgli, and that of the Grasshopper Warbler {Locmtella 

 TKEvia), presented by Dr. J. E. Kelso and Mr. John Stares. 



" Six additional pier-cascs have been placed in the Bird 

 Gallery, containing groups of certain families, such as the 

 Birds of Paradise, Bower-birds, &c. 



" During the past year considerable accessions have been 

 made to the osteological and oological collections. These 

 have been registered and incorporated, and marked progress 

 has been made in the arrangement of the skeletons and eggs 

 of birds. 



" The collection of eggs is being catalogued by Mr. Eugene 

 W. Gates, who has, in the course of the year, arranged 

 15,000 specimens in the cabinets, and has completed the 

 first volume of the ^ Catalogue of Birds' Eggs in the British 

 Museum,' published by the Trustees. The second volume 

 of this important work is a!so shortly to be issued, and the 

 third volume is in progress. 



" The whole of the large collection of skeletons and 

 bones of the Accipitres has been arranged and labelled by 

 Mr. W. P. Py craft, Avho has also determined all the acces- 

 sions to the collection of birds in spirit. 



"Mr. Robert Reid^ who has been a voluntary assistant 

 in the Museum for some years past, has done the entire 

 registration and labelling of the accessions, and his help is 

 gratelully acknowledged by the officers of the Bird-section. 



" The total number of additions to the specimens of the 

 Class of Birds is 19,743, of which the following deserve 

 especial notice : — 



" Fifteen thousand one hundred and fifty eggs bequeathed 

 by the late Mr. Philip Crowley : 150 birds (including the 

 types of two new species), 660 eggs, and .20 nests from China, 

 presented by Mr. C. B. Rickett : 28 birds in spirit, pre- 

 sented by Mr. J. D. La Touche : a valuable collection of 

 birds and eggs from the ' Southern Cross ' Antarctic 

 Expedition, presented by Sir George Newnes, Bart. : the 

 type of a new species of bird, Eremiornis carteri, from 

 W. Australia, presented by Mr. T. Carter : 3 birds, including 



