i6 



re-mounting has taken place, the best taxidermists 

 have been entrusted with the work. 



The bird collection has been re- arranged according 

 to the British Museum Handbooks, and the addition of 

 descriptive family labels is in progress. 



The mounted specimens of Crocodilia have been 

 arranged upon sloping shelves made to simulate mud- 

 banks, whilst upon the back of the case has been 

 arranged a series of preparations to illustrate the general 

 osteology of the reptilian skeleton. 



Special "Reports. 



Report of Mr. G. C. Griffiths on the Greville Smyth 

 Collection of Butterflies and Moths. 



"During the year the arrangement of the butterflies belonging to the 

 Family Nymphalidas has been completed. They occupy 36 drawers, and 

 comprise many beautiful and interesting species. The Euploeinse, Helicouiinae, 

 Satyrinse, and Elymniinae have also been placed in their cabinets, and 

 considerable progress has been made in the preliminary arrangement and 

 preparation of the Lemoniidae and Lycoenidae, which are the next groups to be 

 dealt with. As regards these small but very beautiful insects, the collection is 

 unfortunately not so strong as in other families of the Diurnal Lepidoptera." 



Final Report of Mr. H. J. Charbonnier on the Greville Smyth 

 Collection of Bird Skins. 



" The work of naming and cataloguing the bird skins in the Greville 

 Smyth collections has been brought pretty well to a conclusion. The collection 

 is very rich in some species, and some of the rarer European and Indian forms 

 are present. The most notable and beautiful are perhaps the Birds of Paradise, 

 of which there are several fine forms from New Guinea and the neighbouring 

 islands. The Island of Samoa contributes a specimen of that strange bird, the 

 Tooth-billed Pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris), a bird that came near extinction, 

 owing to its nesting on the ground, but which has of late taken to nesting in 

 trees, and so saved itself by its intelligent change of habit. New Zealand is 

 represented by the Owl Parrot (Stringops habroptilus), and by two specimens 

 of Owen's Apteryx (Apteryx oweni). Both these species are fast verging on 

 extinction. There are 4 fine specimens of that rare bird, Pallas' Sand Grouse 

 (Syrrhaptes paradoxus), and among some fine species of birds of prey are 4 



