OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 197 



Q. Armstrong, who presented it, together with his books, to the 

 Society. 



The number of specimens contained in this collection is very- 

 great, and a considerable proportion of them illustrates divisions 

 of the animal kingdom seldom well represented in public mu- 

 seums ; but their value cannot be estimated by mere numerical 

 strength. A large number of the specimens are those upon 

 which new genera and species have been established, and others 

 in so many cases have been regarded as types for reference, that 

 the cabinet has acquired amongst naturalists an almost classical 

 interest. Though embracing in degree almost every department 

 of Marine Zoology, the series is especially rich in Zoophytes and 

 MoUusca ; indeed, in either of these two classes there exist few 

 collections, so far as pertains to British species, of the same size 

 and importance. 



Mr. Alder's library consists of about 300 volumes, embracing 

 most of the standard authors on the Invertebrata, and is espe- 

 cially complete in those departments which were his peculiar 

 study. Many of the more important volumes are presentation 

 copies from their respective authors. 



Your Committee would remind the members of the Society 

 that these fine collections are not intended to lie idle in the cabi- 

 nets, in which, thanks to the care of Messrs. A. and J. Hancock 

 and the Rev. A. M. Norman, they are now so excellently ar- 

 ranged. Their true value consists in the assistance they offer 

 to succeeding students, indicating how far our present know- 

 ledge reaches, and thereby suggesting the extension of its boun- 

 daries. 



Amongst the other presentations to the Museum, one or two 

 call for passing notice. A specimen of the Great Greenland 

 Shark (Squalus horeaUs), due to the kindness of Messrs. J. 

 Hancock Richardson, and J. C. Gilchrist, is an important ad- 

 dition to our still defective series of fishes. It is a fine young 

 example of a rare visitor to our shores — so rare, that there are 

 but three or four instances recorded of its captui-e in British 

 waters. 



The Entomological collections are in process of revision at 



