2 
2 
British shells, of species which were either entirely absent 
from your collections, or were insufficiently represented. 
These have all been mounted, and placed in their proper 
positions in the British collection. 
“Mr, William Gray has presented a large number of 
logical specimens, illustrative of the mineral resources 
of Ulster. These have been arranged in a temporary 
manner, in the room formerly occupied asthe library. 
“In the large room of the museum, we have been en- 
gaged for some time in the classification of the valuable 
collections of foreign shells. Several groups of these 
shells have been mounted on wood tablets, in a similar 
manner to the geological collections, and {after the ‘selec- 
tion of a sufficient number of specimens to 
represent each species, the duplicates have been 
laid aside, and made up in _ parcels—each parcel 
haying a specimen attached outside to denote its contents. 
As the eritical determination of the species would involve 
the spending of a considerable amount of time, which 
might be otherwise occupied, and would interfere with 
the progress of the re-arrangement, wo have deferred that 
portion of the work for a time, and have confined our 
attention to, the general classification and mounting of 
the specimens. Our doing so will enable us to have a 
much larger collection prepared prior to the meeting of 
the British Association than we could otherwise have. 
“We consider it would not be advisable to dispose of 
any of the duplicate specimens until after the naming has 
been completed. 
“The naming and labelling of the birds in the same 
room is also being carried on, and will shortly be com- 
Age In the upper room the collections of mammals, 
irds, &c., have been asfar as possible named and labelled 
—the names being, in the majority of cases, those given 
by Dr, Blyth, of the Calcutta Museum, when examining 
your collections some years ago. Many of the other 
specimens which haye been received since his visit, or 
which he had omitted, we have named, but we have not 
doneso in any case in which there was the slightest 
doubt as to accuracy. As this work requires a 
considerable amount of care, the progress in it 
is not very great. The collections of sponges, corals, &c., 
in the wall cases in the gallery, have been similarly treated, 
89 far as the labelling is concerned ; but as few of the speci- 
