10 MTSET-MS. 



general contents. Che complete ami adequate labelling of the 

 individual specimens lias been necessarily postponed until these 

 general labels have been completed; but the latter, also, are now 

 being proceeded with. 



Catalogues cannot be compiled in a day, because each object to 

 be catalogued requires close examination and often prolonged study 

 before its lull history can be set out. It is extremely to be desired 

 that Guides to the completed sections could be provided tor the use 

 of visitors, but the Director sees little hope of their preparation for 

 some time to come, as every hour of the present, far from adequate, 

 stall is already fully occupied in getting the general arrangement 

 ot the galleries blocked out aud made presentable. 



During the present year also lias been published, as a special 

 Bulletin of tin Liverpool Museums, under the editorship of the 

 Directed-, The Natural History of Sokotra ami Abd-el-Kuri, con- 

 taining in detail, the scientific results of the Expedition undertaken 

 in L898-9 to these islands (ci. Annual Report 1898, p. 29), by the 

 Director and Mr. W. < >. Grant of the British Museum. The volume 

 contains 598 8vo. pages, :it full page plates, 24 of them band- 

 coloured, and 88 illustrations in the text. Twenty-two distinguished 

 specialists have greatly obliged the Committee by assisting in 

 working out the collections, and contributing each a section to the 

 work. One hundred and eighty-five species are described in the 

 volume as new to science, besides a number of new genera. 



It is gratifying to record, that in the various reviews which 

 have appeared in the Scientific Journals, The Natural History of 

 Sokotra has been spoken of in terms of high commendation, as "an 

 important addition to Zoological Science," " due to the enlightened 

 liberality of the Museums Committee of the City Council." 



(b) Conservation. 



All the collections on exhibition have so far as pressure on 

 the stall' has permitted been periodically examined, dusted 

 and kept free from moth or other pest. The store cabinets 

 and tanks, containing specimens preserved in fluid, June also been 

 systematically gone over for the purpose of renewing the spirit or 



