4 
by F. Ducane Godman, Esq., F.R.S., and Osbert Salvin 
Esq., F.R.S. This important Collection, constituting by far 
the largest accession to the Department during recent years, 
was formally accepted by a Decree of Convocation on May 11, 
1897, when the further Decree conveying the thanks of the 
University to the Donors was also passed unanimously. 
The specimens were however presented and brought to 
Oxford during 1896, and the work upon them occupied 
a large part of the Assistants’ time, so that they are best 
included in the Report of that year. The following account, 
reprinted from the Unzversity Gazette for April 30, 1897, 
affords a brief description of this valuable gift, and also 
indicates the nature of a large part of the work upon which 
the Hope Department was engaged during the second half 
of 1896, and the special needs of the Department at the 
present time. 
“ Note.—The following note has been prepared by the Hope 
Professor, explaining the value of the Collection and the 
expenditure which may be caused by its acceptance :— 
The specimens in this Collection are of especial value 
because of the excellent geographical data which accompany 
them. Although specimens from all countries are included, 
the Collection is especially rich in species from Central 
America, a district of peculiar interest, hitherto but poorly 
represented in the Hope Collection. Many specimens of 
historic interest are also present—the captures of H. W. 
Bates in Brazil, of T. Belt in Nicaragua, and of A. R. Wallace 
in the Malay Archipelago. The majority of the more 
recently captured specimens were taken by the greatest 
living collectors, such as G. C. Champion and H. H. Smith 
(Central America), and C. M. Woodford (Solomon Islands) ; 
so that all localities can be entirely depended upon. No 
conditions are attached to the gift, so that the specimens 
can be at once incorporated with those of the General 
Collection, as soon as they have been adequately labelled. 
The Collection also contains a large amount of material 
which will be available to illustrate the principles of Protective 
Mimicry, Geographical Distribution, Isolation, &c. 
The following table indicates the numbers of specimens 
now in Oxford. The numbers of all Groups which are 
