15 



Pearcey spent three weeks in Scotland collecting during 

 August, and succeeded in sending to the Museum a 

 large amount of valuable material. In addition to this, 

 he secured the active co-operation of Sir John Murray 

 Professor A. Thomson, of Aberdeen, Prof. D'Arcy 

 Thompson, of Dundee, Mr. Bruce, of the Scottish 

 Antarctic Expedition, the officials of the Scotch Fishery 

 Board, and others. 



A considerable quantity of the material thus obtained 

 has been mounted. The collection of spirit-preserved 

 specimens mounted in square glass jars has been quite 

 doubled during the year. The task of re-arranging and 

 mounting the extensive series of shells has made con- 

 siderable progress. It is intended to transfer the whole 

 series from their present cemented condition on wood 

 tablets to glass-topped boxes, in which each shell will 

 be loose in a cell cut in cardboard. By the new method 

 each shell will be protected from dust, be free from 

 cement, and readily accessible for the fullest examina- 

 tion. As the work has proceeded, spoiled specimens 

 have been replaced by others from the reserve stores of 

 gifts and exchanges. The improvement in this section 

 has been considerable. 



V£RTEBRATA.-The re-arrangement in this section 

 has been of a very thorough character. It is now 

 possible to commence with the highest orders of 

 mammals near the entrance doors, and, following the 

 cases in consecutive order, trace the succession of 

 vertebrate life forms in regular sequence down to the 

 Tunicates. To accomplish this, many specimens wore 

 drawn from the store collection and re-mounted 

 and others have been obtained. The additions from 

 these sources have been considerable, and wherever 



