( Ixxxii ) 



large faunistic collections already named and arranged by 

 the donors. 



The Mammals received during the same period average 

 annually 451 ; Mollusca, 3276 ; Reptiles and Fishes, 1385 — 

 in about equal proportions for each ; Vermes and Radiata, 

 2419. 



We have noticed the present rate of accumulation in the 

 Entomological Section of the Department, involving as it 

 does constant re-arrangement and re-adjustment in the 

 various cabinets. 



The staff employed in this section has been gradually 

 increased, and a few months ago consisted of one assistant- 

 keeper, three assistants, and three boys, who are employed in 

 relaxing and setting specimens, preparing labels, and so 

 forth. Thjs staff has lately been increased by two more 

 assistants and one temporary assistant, giving a regular staff 

 of six skilled entomologists to deal with properly prepared 

 specimens. Their duty is to classify, label, and incor- 

 porate, say 20,000 insects of all orders, or over 3,300 to 

 each worker in about 270 working days in each year. Out 

 of this number they have to rightly name, by careful study 

 of specimens and scattered descriptions, a considerable pro- 

 portion of unnamed material; to describe and classify all 

 that are new to science ; and at the same time to keep the 

 general collections in good condition and up to date as far as 

 possible in sequence and arrangement. Now it must be 

 remembered, that nearly half the time of these assistants is 

 taken up by students and visitors, who require to have access 

 to the collections, and who are dropping in at every hour and 

 half-hour of each day to identify specimens or to seek 

 information upon various subjects. This is a constant 

 interruption to regular and continued study, and does far 

 more to vitiate the results of honest application than any 

 mere curtailment of the time devoted to it. In spite of such 

 interruptions, there would probably be no difficulty in putting 

 away in their proper places the dozen or more specimens 

 that would fall to the daily share of each worker. But, 

 bearing in mind that every year considerably over 5000 

 jiew species are added to the general lists, it becomes a 



