MUSEUMS. 45 
The Local History Gallery has had numerous and important 
additions made to it during the year, and the Committee is indebted 
to several Liverpool gentlemen (see pp. 60-63) for gifts and loans 
illustrative of Liverpool’s history. An important selection, con- 
taining several old views, street names in Herculaneum Ware, 
and volunteer flags, among other interesting specimens, have been 
received on loan from the Town Hall, by permission of the Finance 
Committee, and a selection of the Herdman paintings of Old 
Liverpool are on view by permission of the Library Sub-Committee. 
In the Ceramic Section a number of specimens, suitable for the 
purpose, have been placed in shallow frames, and hung on 
the walls. They are thus available for study at close quarters, so 
necessary in the examination of pottery. 
Considerable acquisitions have been made to the Melanian Depart- 
ment, and Mr. Ridyard, to whose efforts our West African Section 
mainly owes its existence, has now presented, or directly caused to 
be presented, over 5,000 specimens to the Museums. 
In Natural History, many important additions have been made, 
and much useful work done. Perhaps the most important donation 
made in this department was the specimen of Red Sea Dugong 
(see p. 55). The opportunities of obtaining specimens of these 
interesting Aquatic Mammals are becoming less and less, as there is 
every reason to believe the family is a dwindling one, and will shortly 
become extinct. This and many other Mammals have been mounted 
and placed on exhibition. The case of Lemurs, a group of Monkeys 
of great scientific interest, has been revised and many specimens 
remounted. 
The British Series of Birds with natural surroundings is now 
nearly completed. Seven new groups, including the Nightingale, 
Siskin, and Wood Lark, were mounted during the year and placed 
on exhibition. The British Bird Egg Cabinet has also received 
a valuable addition (see p. 54), whereby it has been made almost 
complete. In all the various departments of Natural History 
considerable progress may be reported, and the proper conservation 
of specimens has been carried out. 
