DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 97 



the Public Gallery has likewise been continued, and marked 

 progress has been made, nearly one-fourth of this Gallery 

 having now been completed. Competent taxidermists have 

 been employed in mounting the new specimens required to 

 illustrate the classification of birds, and the cases have now 

 been arranged as far as the end of the Galliformes or Game- 

 birds. 



Two new groups of British Birds and their nests and eggs 

 have been added during the year, viz., that of the Red- 

 throated Diver {Golymhus septentrionalis), and of the Sheld- 

 duck (Tadorna tadorna). Presented by G. A. St. Quintin 

 and W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Esqrs. 



Reptilia, Batrachia, and Pisces. — As in previous years, 

 all additions have been registered, named, and incorporated 

 in the collection, and the good condition of the alcoholic 

 specimens has been maintained by renewing the spirit and. 

 replenishing the bottles where necessary. 



The following large specimens have been mounted for 

 exhibition in the public galleries : — 



A stuffed Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), a skeleton of the- 

 same species, a large Perch {Stereolepis gigas), and two 

 Porbeagles {Lamna cornuhica). 



Mollusea. — The whole series of table-cases containing the 

 collection of shells has been re-numbered, and the names of 

 the families, written upon porcelain tablets, have been placed 

 above the cases. The arrangement of the study-collection,, 

 necessitated by the re-arrangement of the exhibited series,., 

 effected in 1896, has been commenced, several important 

 families having been placed in their proper position. The 

 re-mounting in glass-topped boxes of certain portions of the 

 study-collection has been proceeded with, and all the acqui- 

 sitions during the year have been similarly mounted, excepting- 

 those selected for exhibition, which have been placed upon 

 tablets. The whole of the spirit collection of Mollusea has 

 been carefully examined and re-spirited. Some very im- 

 portant collections of Mollusea, chiefly land and freshwater 

 forms, from New Guinea, Flores, Lombock, New Zealand, 

 Socotra and Rotuma have been worked out and described. 



Arachnida and Myriopoda, — Preparations illustrating the 

 habits of spiders of the family Theraphosidce from the lower 

 Amazons, and of the Egyptian Sand Scorpion, have been 

 placed on exhibition in the Insect Gallery. The African 

 spiders of the group Mygalomorphce have been determined 

 and described, and recent accessions to the order Solifugce 

 have been named. The species of the genera Gasteracantha, 

 Argiope, Thelcticopis, Heteropoda, Palystes and several 

 others from the Oriental Region have been worked out in 

 connection with Dr. Klikenthal's collection of spiders. 

 174. G 



