department of zoology. 95 



Department of Zoology. 



The principal events of the year have been : — 



{a.) The acquisition of three important and well-known col- 

 lections, viz., the collection of Arachnida formed by the 

 German Arachnologist, Count Keyserling ; the collection of 

 Alpine Lepidoptera, made by the late Professor Frey, of 

 Zurich ; the collection of Central American Longicorn and 

 Buprestid Coleoptera, presented by Messrs. Godman and 

 Salvin. 



(h.) The transference of the duplicates of the " Challenger" 

 collections, amounting to many thousands of specimens, and 

 including numerous examples of great value. This trans- 

 ference was made with the understanding that, after a 

 selection had been made of any specimens required for the 

 National collection, " all the other specimens are to be used 

 in the way of exchange for Deep Sea and Pelagic specimens 

 not represented in the British Museum collections, so that 

 these Deep Sea and Pelagic collections may be rendered as 

 complete as possible." 



(c.) The opening to the public of a cabinet containing a 

 very complete collection of British Lepidoptera, formed by 

 the late William Buckler, Esq., the donation of which hy 

 R. Newbury, Esq., was already reported last year. 



The acquisition of the three collections mentioned under (a,), 

 swelled again the number of additions (77,658), so as far to 

 exceed the average annual increase, and the remarks prefacing 

 last year's report apply again equally to the present occasion. 

 All, or almost all, of the 40,000 specimens contained in those 

 three collections are authentically named, and, when once 

 incorporated, will greatly assist in the work and study of 

 future years. 



The staff of Assistants have the collections, and the work 

 severally connected with them, allotted at present in the 

 following manner : — 



1. Mammalia. — One first class assistant, who is assisted by 

 the Articulator and Taxidermist. 



2. Birds. — One assistant of the first, and one of the 

 second class, assisted by two attendants. Extra assistance 

 in cataloguing is provided by the temporary employment of 

 gentlemen not connected with the establishment. Four were 

 thus employed during the past year. 



3. Reptiles and Fishes. — One first class-assistant, who also 

 has the supervision of the general service in the Spirit 

 building ; he is assisted by two attendants, and occasionally 

 by the Articulator. 



0.81. 4. Mollusca. 



