14 . New Zealand Institute. 



(Stenorliyncus leptonyx), thirty birds, fifty fishes, twenty reptiles, etc., consti- 

 tuting a most interesting feature in the Museum. 



Shells. — The collections of IsTew Zealand shells, both recent and fossil, have 

 been thoroughly investigated by Captain Hutton, the greater part of whose 

 time during the past year has been devoted to this important work, and he has 

 prepared a descriptive catalogue, which only awaits the receipt of a list of the 

 New Zealand shells in the European collections, which is being prepared by Dr. 

 Yon Martens, of Berlin, to be completed for the press. 



The total number of existing species of the class Mollusca, represented in 

 the Museum, and described in this catalogue^ will be 560 ; to which must be 

 added 200 species of fossil shells that are now extinct. 



Captain Hutton has also prepared a descriptive catalogue of the New 

 Zealand Echinodermata in the Museum, in which he enumerates thirty-six 

 species. 



The collection of foreign shells has been added to, during the past year, by 

 170 American species, presented by Colonel Jewett, of New York, and other 

 collections of minor importance. 



Insects. — An arrangement is being made for the publication in England of 

 descriptive and illustrated catalogues of the difierent classes of insects which 

 are found in New Zealand, as their classification cannot be satisfactorily 

 efiected without reference to extensive Museums and Libraries containing: 

 works of reference in Natural History. The foreign collections in the 

 Museum have received a valuable addition in a named collection of 332 

 specimens of the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera of Queensland, from W. H. 

 Miskin, Esq. 



Palceontology. — The descriptive and illustrated catalogue of the New 

 Zealand fossils in the Museum is also in an advanced state of preparation ; but 

 further examination of certain localities will be necessary before it can be sent 

 to press. The collection of minerals, rocks, and fossils, has been largely 

 extended during the past year, in the course of the Geological Survey ; the 

 chief additions being the collections made in Canterbury by Dr. Haast, and 

 Mr. H, Travers in the Chatham Islands and at the Amuri, where he obtained 

 a large number of Saurian bones, in blocks that weigh several hundredweight, 

 but unfortunately in a very hard matrix, so that it is doubtful if they can 

 be extracted in a perfect state. 



The chief special collections which have been added to the Herbarium 

 during the past year, besides the plants of the neighborhood, which are 

 constantly being collected by Mr. Buchanan, are specimens illustrating the 

 botany of the Hot Lake and North Taupo Districts, which have been reported 

 on for the Department by Mr. T. Kirk, F.L.S. 



An almost exhaustive collection of the botany of the Chatham Islands has 



