now in preparation which will give every book added in the clas?, up 

 to the end of October. 



The visitors to the Newsrooms keep up their numbers fully, and 

 I am pleased to say I have no complaints of their behaviour. Petty 

 pilfering has been reduced to a minimum, a matter on which the 

 appointment of an additional attendant has doubtless had an effect. 

 The new ventilating fans have })roved a great boon and the atmos- 

 phere is comparatively pure now even at the close of the evening. 



The year's work in the Museum has been a full one and we are 

 getting within measurable distance of the end of the re-arrangement. 

 The Sub-Committee has devoted most of its time to the Insects. 

 Of these the Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera, and 

 Diptera are finished, and only the Lepidoptera, a most important and 

 and at the same time, the most showy of all the divisions have to be 

 done. The collection of British Birds, numbering some six hundred 

 specimens, has been carefully gone through, re-mounted and cleaned, 

 and where necessary new specimens have been purchased. It will 

 now bear favourable comparison with any other collection of its size 

 in the country. It is intended to place an egg of most of the 

 species by the side of the bird, so that both may be studied together ; 

 and at the same time to complete and bring up to date our collection 

 of eggs and render them better available for purposes of study. With 

 regard to the Foreign Birds, we shall supplement those we have by the 

 addition of a few of important common types, and I have every hope 

 that next year will witness the completion of both series. 



No important changes in the staff have taken place during the 

 year and I am glad to be able to record once more my complete satis- 

 faction with the way in which their duties are discharged. The 

 Derby press as heretofore have willingly co-operated with me in any- 

 thing likely to benefit the Institution, and to them once more I tender 

 my best thanks. From every member of my Committee I always 

 receive every support, and their kindly consideration lightens my 

 many duties. 



I remain. Gentlemen, 



Your obedient Servant, 



WILLIAM CROWTHER, 



Lihrarian, Curator, mid Secretary. 

 October 29th, 1903. 



