512 Proceedings. 



Mammalia. — No important addition lias been made to this section of 

 the collections, only 84 new specimens having heen received, from the 

 Smithsonian Institute, U.S. of America. A considerable number of skins 

 and skeletons received from England, and included in last year's return, 

 are still unmounted. 



The preparations of the Cetacea have been examined and rearranged, 

 and several large skeletons mounted, among them is that of the great 

 rorqual (SibbaldiusJ, the goose-beak whale (Bcrardius), the black-fish 

 l" Glohicephalus ) , and the cow-fish (Tursioj. 



Birds. — 235 skins have been received during the year, the largest 

 addition being a collection of 84 species obtained from the Cambridge 

 Museum as an exchange. The number of birds mounted and placed on 

 exhibition during the year is 400. The extensive collection of buxls-eggs 

 has received an addition of 65 specimens, and a selection fi'om it has been 

 classified and arranged in the Museum cases. 



Fishes. — Convenient shelves have been erected for receiving the alcohohc 

 preparations, and cases prepared for the stuffed specimens, but none of the 

 recent additions to this class, which comprise a very extensive selection of 

 European and American forms, have yet been removed from the tanks in 

 which they were received. 



The New Zealand collection has received several interesting additions, 

 and now contains nearly all the known species. 



The "Descriptive Catalogue of the New Zealand Pishes," of which au 

 edition of 1,000 copies was published in 1872, is now out of print, and a new 

 and revised edition is in preparation. 



Invertehrata. — The publication by the department since last report of 

 the "Descriptive Catalogue of the Crustacea," by J. E. Miers, F.L.S., has 

 enabled the collection of this class to be classified and exhibited, but it is 

 very imperfect compared with the number of specimens attributed to the 

 New Zealand waters. 



The Mollusca have been largely added to, chiefly by foreign collections 

 and by alcoholic preparations of the New Zealand species, a series of which 

 it is intended to collect for purposes of study. 



The collection of Insects, both New Zealand and exotic forms, is steadily 

 increasing, and arrangements are being made for the pubHcation of cata- 

 logues which will embody recent researches on this subject, as at present 

 several eminent naturalists in England are engaged in classifying the 

 different orders of New Zealand insects, and pubhshing the results in 

 scientific j)eriodicals. 



Ethnological. — Under this heading there are 187 specimens entered, 

 being chiefly a collection of celts and other stone implements and weapons 



