4(i MUSEUMS. 



again set out in the desk cases in which they were formerly 

 exhibited. The plan adopted in the Vertebrate groups has been 

 followed in the arrangement of the mollusca. Examples of the 

 main genera of each of the families have alone been placed on view, 

 so that the classification of the group may be more easily grasped 

 by the student without his being overburdened by a plethora of 

 species. The bulk of the collection — one of tbe most complete in 

 England is being relegated to the study series, which avi'II in due 

 course be arranged in glass-covered, " stopped '" drawers in the 

 cabinets beneath the exhibited series, so as to be always accessible 

 to I he specialist, without loss of time to him and without the 

 necessity of intruding upon the time and services of an assistant. 



The Assistant in the Botanical Department made, as usual, 

 numerous excursions during the summer into districts surrounding 

 Liverpool, to collect specimens required to fill up gaps in the British 

 series in the Botanical transept. 



In the carpenters' shops, in addition to tbe ordinary repairs and 

 fittings, twenty-six exhibition cases have been made — sixteen to 

 accommodate British Bird groups with natural surroundings for the 

 Local area collection, and ten pillar cases for Egyptian Antiquities 

 in the main hall. A very large number of stands, for specimens 

 and other fittings, have also been constructed. 



(b) Consekvaitox. 

 All the collections on exhibition have so far as pressure on the 

 staff has permitted been periodically examined, dusted and kept free 

 from moth or other pest. The store cabinets and tanks, containing 

 specimens preserved in fluid, have also been systematically gone over 

 for the purpose of renewing the spirit or other preservative. The 

 store cabinets have also had constant attention, the entomological 

 collections especially requiring frequent examination. 



Three additional taxidermists have been employed during part of 

 the year on the very urgent work of reducing to fiat skins (for 

 placing in the study cabinets and for their proper conservation) the 

 vast number of specimens, both of mammals and of birds remaining 



