Aucldand Institute. 551 



the Council on the subject, offering, on his part, to provide a competent instructor and to 

 bear all the expenses of the school if the Institute would grant the use of their lecture- 

 room for the purpose. This proposal was accepted by the Council, and the school has 

 now been in operation for some time. From twenty to thirty students have been in 

 attendance, and the results promise to be in every way satisfactory. 



A complete list of all additions to the Museum will be found appended, so that it will 

 only be necessary to mention here those of special importance in the different classes. 



1. Mammalia. — The only additions in this class are an interesting collection of bats, 

 made by Mr. Parsons in the Friendly Islands, and some good specimens of Ornitho- 

 rliynclms and a few Marsupials, presented by Mr. H. A. H. Monro. 



2. Birds. — Four hundred and thirty-five skins have been received during the year. 

 Of these about 200 are of New Zealand species, collected partly to supply deficiencies in 

 the type cohection, and partly for exchanges with foreign museums. From the Australian 

 Museum, Sydney, 103 skins have been forwarded, principally of Australian species. A 

 collection of 60 European species has also come to hand from the Geneva Museum. Mr. 

 Parsons has presented 61 skins, all obtained on the island of Vavau, one of the Samoan 

 Group. Under the head of Oology should be mentioned a series of European birds' eggs, 

 forwarded in exchange by the Geneva Museum, and some of New Zealand species contri- 

 buted by Mr. T. H. Potts, of Canterbury. 



3. Fishes and Reptiles. — The most noteworthy addition is from Mr. Parsons, of 

 Vavau, and is especially valuable, not only from the number of species, but also from the 

 large number of duplicate specimens which will be useful for exchanges. The Institute 

 is also indebted to Captain Fairchild, of the s.s. Hinemoa, for a number of Tuatara 

 Uzards (Splienodon), obtained on Karewa Island, near Tauranga. 



4. Invertebrata. — The collection of New Zealand Mollusca in the Museum has been 

 largely increased during the year, and a few small parcels of foreign species have also 

 been received, principally from the Polynesian Islands. A series of Swiss Coleoptera, 

 also of Crustacea from the south of Europe and the Mauritius,. are among the exchanges 

 received from the Geneva Museum. An excellent collection of butterflies from New 

 Britain and New Ii-eland, forwarded by the society's old friend, the Eev. G. Brown, must 

 also not be overlooked. 



5. Ethnology. — A set of plaster casts of the heads of Polynesians of different races, 

 taken from models obtained during the expedition of Dumont D'Urville, has been received 

 from the Paris Museum of Natural History. From Mr. H. N. Eust, of Chicago, U.S., 

 comes a very interesting collection, including crania of the Flat-head Indians, also of the 

 ancient Mound-builders of the Mississippi Valley, with specimens of their peculiar 

 pottery, stone adzes, flint arrow-heads, etc. 



6. Geology and Mineralogy. — A type collection of 400 specimens of rocks, purchased 

 in London from the well-known mineralogist, Mr. I. E. Gregory, has been received, but 

 still remains unpacked, there being no cases available in which to place it. Several 

 small contributions of New Zealand rocks and minerals have been made, but nothing 

 calling for special mention. 



New Fittings. — Additional accommodation for stuffed birds and mammals has been 

 obtained by the erection of a large show-case along the south side of the Museum Hall. 

 The cost — £106 — has been liberally defrayed by a friend of the Institute, who, however, 

 desires that his name should not be made pubhc. About 300 birds and 30 mammals 

 have been mounted and placed on exhibition dming the year, but nearly all the skins 

 received during the past twelve months still remain packed up in cases, the funds of the 



