Growth of the Collection. 45 



Each of the remaining acquisitions contained specimens of 1879-1881. 

 one class only : 



5. An adult Fin- whale (Balsenoptera musculus), which stranded 

 on the Scotch coast, and was exhibited in the flesh for some time 

 at Birmingham, was purchased for 100 ; it was thus possible to 

 secure a very complete Whale- skeleton for the Cetacean room in 

 the new Museum. 



6. One of the most important acquisitions was the collection 

 of Birds formed by the late Mr. John Gould, F.R.S. It consisted 

 of 12,395 specimens, and contained a large number of the 

 objects described and figured in his various great works. Of 

 special value in this acquisition was the series of Humming Birds, 

 which consisted of 5378 specimens, partly preserved as skins, 

 partly mounted and grouped in the cases in which they had been 

 shown to the public at the first International Exhibition in 1851. 

 They were the favourites of their former owner, and were brought 

 together by forty years' careful collecting, regardless of expense. 

 The price paid for the entire collection was 3000. 



The series of Humming Birds which had been in the Museum 

 previously to this purchase was very poor, and scarcely sufficient 

 to serve in the gallery as a representation of this order of Birds. 

 It was rarely added to by G. R. Gray, in obedience to a wise rule 

 of Dr. Gray, who abstained from competing with private collectors 

 for the purchase of specimens in which they were specially 

 interested. It was desirable that a portion of the new acquisition 

 should be exhibited to the public without delay ; and for this 

 purpose the sixty-six glass cases in which the groups were 

 mounted were repaired and placed on suitable stands. With 

 the sanction of the Trustees the ornithological Assistant was 

 instructed to prepare, under the Keeper's supervision, in extra- 

 official time, a descriptive guide to the exhibition for the use of 

 visitors. 



Other important additions to the Bird collection were : The 

 donation by Messrs. Godman and Salvin of their collection of 

 Old- World and Australian Birds, 3397 specimens ; and, by 

 purchase from the Eyton Collection, 71 types of Birds, and 108 

 skeletons, the majority of which had been figured by this 

 ornithologist in his " Osteologia Avium." 



7. 277 Shells, including a great number of types described in 

 the Voyages of H.M.SS. Sulphur, Samarang, etc., were selected 

 from the collection of the late Mr. Lombe Taylor. 



8. The Entomological Section received accessions of extra- 

 ordinary value and magnitude. The late Mr. William Chapman 



