Growth of the Collection. 69 



years, as already mentioned. These collections certainly present 1886-1887. 



extraordinary difficulties for systematic arrangement, and their 



study requires the closest application. Thus, at the time, until 

 some specialist well acquainted with one or the other of these 

 divisions could be found, it appeared to be better not to fill 

 one of the vacancies created among the Assistants, but to leave 

 the whole in charge of one Assistant, who would be responsible 

 for the preservation of the collections. 



For temporary assistance in the continuance of the Catalogue 

 of Birds the Trustees availed themselves of the services of Mr. 

 P. L. Sclater, the highest authority on South American birds. 



In 1887 the special grant made by the Treasury for the 

 formation of the Natural History Library was exhausted, and 

 as this service would henceforth involve much less work, the 

 employment of Mr. Harting was discontinued. 



GROWTH OP THE COLLECTION. 



(1886-87.) 



The number of additional specimens in these two years 

 amounted to 101,547. The causes of the continuance of this 

 high rate of annual increase will be readily understood by a 

 perusal of the following enumeration of some of the most 

 important acquisitions : 



Of the Challenger collections were received : 261 Deep-sea 

 Fishes, 3365 Mollusca, 475 Tunicata, 956 Polyzoa, 47 Cumacea, 

 100 Schizopoda, 185 Holothurians, 402 Reef-Corals, 447 Sponges. 



The Secretary of State for India presented a collection made 

 by Dr. J. E. T. Aitchison, F.R.S., the naturalist to the Afghan 

 Delimitation Commission, viz., 39 Mammals, 230 Birds, 124 

 Reptiles, 24 Batrachians, 304 Insects, etc. 



The Emin Paslia Collection from Wadelai and Monbuttu 

 comprised 106 Mammals, 342 Birds, 27 Reptiles, 30 Shells, and 

 383 Insects. 



Sir John Murray, while directing the operations at the 

 Marine Biological Station at Granton, transmitted from time to 

 time a very large number of animals obtained within the littoral 

 zone of the north-western coast of Scotland for identification. 

 Only a selection was retained for the Museum. In these years 

 there were added from this source the following desiderata : 

 385 Fishes, 619 Molluscs and Tunicates, 666 Crustaceans, 118 

 Polyzoa, 340 Worms, 482 Echinoderms, 83 Anthozoa, 94 Hydro- 

 zoa, 113 Sponges. 



