100 



ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Owing to the war a large number of collections liad accumu- 

 lated since 1914. Most of these have now been determined, 

 registered and incorporated. The egg-collection, which was 

 closed during the war by order of the Trustees, has now been re- 

 opened to students. 



Card-indexes of the Ornithological literature of geographical 

 units, of authors, of gToups, and of species in the collection 

 have been initiated. Cabinets are still urgently required for 

 the very necessary work of expansion of the collection. 



Valuable assistance in the arrangement of the Collection and 

 the determination of accessions has been given by Mr. C. W. 

 Mack worth Praed and others. 



Mr. W. L. Sclater has made a revision of the Birds of Prey 

 and has prepared a manuscript catalogue of the group. Captain 

 H. Lynes, C.B., R.N., has worked out the valuable collections 

 made on his expeditions to Darfur and presented by him to the 

 Museum. Mr. D. A. Bannerman has continued his work on the 

 Birds of West Africa, and Mr. C. Chubb has worked at the 

 South American Birds, and has also continued the list of type 

 specimens in the Collection. 



Reptilia and Batrachia. 



All additions have been registered and incorporated in the 

 Collection, and the work of renewing spirit and replenishing jars 

 has been proceeded with as usual. 



The Lataste Collection has been catalogued separately, and 

 the spirit specimens have been allowed to remain in their original 

 sealed jars. 



Since the retirement of Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., the 

 work in this section of the Department has been carried on by 

 Miss Joan B. Procter. Dr. Malcolm vSinith has worked out the 

 extensive collection of Reptiles and Batrachians from Siam and 

 Annam which he has now presented to the Museum. 



Pisces. 



All the accessions have be.en determined, registered and in- 

 corporated. The work of respiriting the collection has been 

 continued. 



Extensions of the Gallery in the Spirit Building have been 

 made, and will accommodate 24 cases, which will relieve the 

 congestion of a small part of the collection ; the urgent necessity 

 for a new Spirit Building still remains. 



The taxidermist has been chiefly engaged in making casts 

 and models from spirit specimens. 



Mollusca. 



In the Shell Gallery 113 of the cabinets have been overhauled 

 and, in many cases, rearranged. A number of surplus fuzes 

 were purchased from the Disposal Board (Ministry of Munitions), 

 and it is proposed to cut these in two and use the halves as end- 

 Avei gilts for the loose series of boxes in order to keep them in 

 position and obviate damage. 



