34 Department of Zoology. 



1875-1878. appeared at this time hopeless to undertake a general descriptive 

 catalogue of any particular order or group of Insects. This 

 kind of work absorbs the whole time and energy of the author, 

 and the entomological staff was numerically barely sufficient to 

 cope even with the initial work entailed by the constant flow of 

 incoming accessions. But as the entomological collections were 

 exceedingly rich in types (many of them but imperfectly known), 

 it seemed to be an important service to workers in Entomology 

 to render such specimens accessible to them by description and 

 figure. With this object in view this series of Museum publica- 

 tions was initiated, and continued until the time arrived when a 

 complete catalogue of all the species known could be undertaken. 



STAFF. 

 (1875-78.) 



On Dr. Giinther's appointment to the Keepership, Mr. F. 

 Smith succeeded him in the post of Assistant Keeper. By his 

 long experience and intimate acquaintance with the Entomological 

 collections, Mr. Smith was specially qualified to advise the Keeper 

 in all matters referring to this section. He continued, besides, 

 to share in the actual curatorial work in whatever branch of these 

 collections assistance was required. 



Dr. Giiiither repeatedly urged an increase in the staff of 

 Assistants, and recommended to the Trustees the appointment of 

 two Senior Assistants with some experience in systematic work. 

 The Treasury finally consented in 1878 to the addition of two 

 Junior Assistants, so that by the end of this period the staff 

 consisted of the following members : 



1. Mr. A. G. Butler, who had charge of the Lepidoptera, 

 Myriopoda and Arachnida. 



2. Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, whose principal duty was to attend 

 to Coleoptera. 



3. Mr. E. A. Smith, who had charge of the collection of 

 Mollusca, and, for several years, of what was formerly comprised 

 under the collective name of Radiata. 



4. Mr. E. J. Miers, who worked now exclusively on Crustacea. 



5. Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, who had charge of the Birds. 



6. Mr. M. R. Oldfield Thomas, who was transferred in August, 

 1878, from the Secretary's office, to fill the vacancy caused by 

 Mr. F. Smith's promotion, and who was at first temporarily 

 employed in assisting the Keeper in clerical work, and subsequently 



