14 



I'rchins, a series of Fossils from the collection of j)r. Bowerbaiik. and uiuety-eiglit 

 other Fossils, Casts, and Minerals ; also sixty-eight Glass Models of British ^ea 

 Anemones, &c., pxirchascd of Mr. Leopold Blaschka, Dresden, fifty ilodels oi 

 Foraminifera from Professor Fric, and other specimens. 



EXCHANGES. 



A Collection of Fossils from Canada, chiefly Devonian and Post-Pliocene, also a 

 sample of the Laurentian Eozoun Canadense (the supposed earliest evidence ot 

 animal life yet known), received from the McGill College, Montreal, per Pro- 

 fessor Dawson, Principal, in Exchange for Casts of Cheirotherium Footprints, &e. 



A collection of I^and Shells, chiefly from Vienna, received from the Lnpcrial Royal 

 Zoological Museiun, Vienna, per Ilerr Ritter Von Frauenfeld, Custos. 



Fifty Duplicate Birds from the Derby collection sent to the Government Central 

 Museum, Madras, in exchange for a fine collection of Stuffed Fish received iu 

 1865 per Captain Mitchell and A. C. Brisbane Xeil, Esq. 



A collection of Fossil Brachiopoda, from the Island of Anticosti, received from the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, ilassachusetts, per Professor 

 Agassiz. 



FINE ARTS. 



A valuable painting of the Death of Xelson, by Benjamin West, P.R.A., has been 



presented by BrLstow H. Hughes, Esq. 

 A selection of the Engravings of the French School of Engravers has been lent by 



Percy M. Dove, Esq., for Public Exhibition. 



LENDING LIBRARIES. 



For some time these Libraries have had as many readers as can be attended 

 to with convenience and despatch ; the last seven years presenting little or no 

 chan"-e beyond the increase or decrease of two or three hundred. 



There has been a falling off in borrowers over last year of 326 ; this, how- 

 ever is attributable to the revision of vouchers having resulted in the rejection 

 of many, through the guarantees, for various reasons, being no longer biu*- 

 gesses or ratepayers. This revision is rendered necessary every three or four 

 years, on account of the changes wliich take place through death, removal 

 from town, and other causes. 



The issues show a decrease to the amonnt of 42,8G8 volumes, consequent to 

 some extent on the reduction in readers, but principally on account of each 

 Library being closed for a fortnight for stock-taking and examination of 

 books. The falling off, therefore, is not indicative of the Libraries being les3 

 popular than formerly. 



The present readers number 8,243. Iu the winter months, as may be 

 expected, they always greatly increase, so that occasionally it is found neces- 

 sary to stop the issue of vouchers to prevent overcrowding. 



