ANNUAL EEPOET. V 



case for the reception of a number of large specimens, chiefly coal- 

 plants from Nova Scotia and Cape Ercton. 



Two new cabinets, ordered by the Council at the cost of ^44 14s., 

 have been supplied for the reception of certain of the Poreign 

 Collections ; one, consisting of 24 di-awers, contains specimens from 

 the TTest Indies and South America ; the other, consisting of 64 

 drawers, contains the Australasian Collections. The latter cabinet 

 is placed in the tea-room. 



The Special Committee have distributed duplicates to public 

 bodies, donations having been made to the British Museum, the 

 Museum of University College, and the Eoyal Military College at 

 Sandhurst. A considerable number of duplicates still remains for 

 disposal. 



In conclusion, the Committee desire to record their sense of the 

 great and unremitting labour (whose value has abeady been recog- 

 nized by the Council) which the President has bestowed on the 

 re-arrangement and general superintendence of the Museum. 



Tlie Lihraiy, 



In addition to the usual increase by donation and purchase, the 

 Library has received important additions in consequence of the 

 special vote by the Council of .£35, for the purchase of various 

 desiderata, among which may be mentioned — 



Kaup's 'UrweltHche Saugethiere,' Pander's Monographs upon 

 Silurian and Devonian Pishes, Sartorius's * Atlas von ^tna,' 

 Rammelsberg's 'Mineralchemie,' Carus and Engelhardt's ^Bibliotheca 

 Zoologica,' H. D. Eogers's ^ Geology of Pennsylvania,' Tire's * Dic- 

 tionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines,' and Dumont's Geological 

 Map of Europe. 



The supply of periodicals by exchange, gift, and purchase con- 

 tinues to be large. Books and pamphlets, presented or purchased, 

 have, as usual, been catalogued, shelved, and, when necessary, 

 bound. 



The Assistant- Secretary reports that he has received valuable 

 assistance in the Library and Museum from Mr. Jenkins and Mr. 

 Stair. 



The Committee are glad to find that, though on an average above 

 100 works are simultaneously absent from the Library, and in use 

 by the FcUows of the Society, but one case of irregularity in the 

 return of such books has come under their notice, one Member of the 

 Society, notwithstanding repeated applications, having as yet failed 

 to return a work taken out by him two years ago. 



JOHN J. BIGSBY. 

 IIOBEKT W. MYLNE. 

 THOMAS WILTSHIKE. 

 THOMAS H. HUXLEY. 



