397 



nuing the Register of the Museum, and of completing the Pictorial 

 Catalogue. 



This sum, however, has not been as yet expended. The Com- 

 mittee have ordered, that the Register of the Museum, commenced 

 some years ago, shall be completed, as a necessary preliminary step 

 to the formation of a Catalogue. In accordance with this order, 

 Dr. Aquilla Smith has kindly assisted in weighing all the gold 

 articles, entering their dimensions and weights in the Register ; and 

 Mr. Clibborn is now engaged in filling up the column of the Re- 

 gister headed " How procured," which will tell whether the ar- 

 ticle has been obtained by donation or by purchase. He is adding 

 also a reference to the sheet of the Pictorial Catalogue (so far as it 

 has been hitherto completed), in which each article is portrayed, 

 with such other notices as can now be added, tending to complete 

 its history and identification. 



With a view to the continuation of the Pictorial Catalogue, the 

 Committee procured specimens of drawings from three artists, 

 which they did not, however, find quite satisfactory. They have it, 

 therefore, under consideration, whether the recent improvements in 

 photography may not afford the means of attaining this object, 

 more economically, as well as more effectually, than by ordinary 

 drawings. The Calotype process, for example, appears to offer 

 many advantages, as its results may be multiplied ad libitum, and 

 Members, or foreign scientific bodies, supplied with copies of 

 our Pictorial Catalogue at a very reasonable cost. It is to be ob- 

 served also, that the pictures thus obtained will bear microscopic 

 examination, and will thus record what no human hand or eye 

 could otherwise portray. The season of the year, however, has 

 hitherto been unfavourable to experiments on the practicability or 

 expediency of this suggestion ; but the Committee hope very soon 

 to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. They are now engaged in 

 considering the most economical means of producing the Calotype 

 pictures, as it seems probable, so far as they can now form an 

 opinion, that the cost of the process is probably the only objection 

 to its adoption. 



The following is a list of the antiquities purchased by the Com- 

 mittee of Antiquities during the past year : — 



