620 Proceedings. 



while it effectually prevents the extension and proper arrangement of the 

 Natural History Department. Under these circumstances the Council 

 have determined to erect a new hall, 50ft. square, on the eastern side of 

 the Ethnographical Hall, with which it will be connected by an archway. 

 It will contain the Russell collection of statues, and can also be used for 

 those meetings of the Institute likely to attract a larger audience than 

 can be accommodated in the present lecture-room. Plans of the build- 

 ing have been prepared by Mr. Bartley, and a contract for its erection 

 has just been taken for the sum of £800. 



When the statues are transferred to the new hall it is the intention 

 of the Council to fill the space which they at present occupy with groups 

 of the larger mammals, arranged in suitable glass cases. The work will 

 of necessity extend over some years, but when completed will add largely 

 to the general appearance of the Museum and its usefulness to the public. 

 In connection with this subject, the Council have great pleasure in in- 

 forming the members that Mr. T. Russell has recently offered, through a 

 member of the Council visiting London, to expend the sum of £100 in any 

 direction which the Council might consider of advantage to the Museum. 

 The Council have communicated with Mr. Russell, thanking him for his 

 liberal and generous offer, and suggesting that his donation might be 

 used to procure a group of the larger Carnivora. 



Numerous donations have been received during the year. So far as 

 regards the additions to the Zoological Department, it has been impos- 

 sible to do more than pack up the specimens as they are received, for, 

 until the pending alterations to the Museum are completed, room cannot 

 be found for their exhibition. Among the New Zealand birds added to 

 the collection are some remarkably fine specimens of the " roa," or large 

 kiwi, from Stewart Island, obtained by purchase ; a pair of skins of a 

 rare cormorant {Phalacrocorax stictocephalus) and a skua gull, presented 

 by Mr. A. T. Pycrof t ; a specimen of the true curlew (Numeiiius cyanopus), 

 shot in the Manukau Harbour, being the first recorded instance of its 

 occurrence in the Auckland district, presented by Mr. Newell ; and a 

 small, but highly-interesting, collection of bird-skins from the Chatham 

 Islands, obtained by purchase. 



A valuable collection of minerals, including many specimens of great 

 beauty, has been purchased from Professor H. A. Ward, of Rochester, 

 U.S.A. The Museum is also indebted to Mr. J. A. Pond, Mr. J. Park, 

 and Mr. J. Chambers for several interesting ores and minerals from the 

 Thames Goldfields. 



The Ethnological Hall, and especially that part of it devoted to the 

 Maori collection, continues to attract a large number of visitors, particu- 

 larly among the class of tourists and travellers. A considerable number 

 of small additions have been made during the year, mostly by purchase, 

 and it is obvious that additional case-accommodation will soon be re- 

 quired. 



Early in the year the Council sanctioned the expenditure of from 

 £60 to £70 in the purchase of standard scientific works, a list of which is 

 appended. Special attention may be drawn to D'Urville's " Voyage of the 

 ' Astrolabe ' " ; to the Royal Society's Catalogue of Scientific Papers, of 

 which important publication the society now possesses the whole of the 

 parts which have so far appeared ; and to an almost complete set of 

 Hooker's " Icones Plantarum," a work indispensable to New Zealand 

 botanists from the large number of native plants figured therein. The 

 Council have great pleasure in stating that they have received an inti- 

 mation to the effect that the Imperial Government have decided to pre- 

 sent to the library a complete set of the publications of the " Challenger" 

 Expedition. The importance of this edition to the library can hardly bo 

 overestimated, containing, as it does, valuable monographs in almost 

 every branch of zoological science. The usual exchanges and presenta- 



