DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 89 



Department of Zoology. 



I. — Arrangement. 



1. The additions to the collection of Mammalia, which have 

 been more than usually numerous, have been entered in the 

 catalogues as soon as they were examined and named. 



2. The arrangement of the unmounted Bird-skins has 

 proceeded with the progress of the " Catalogue." Besides, a 

 great part of the specimens received since the publication of 

 volumes 9 and 10 have been incorporated, placed in glass- 

 topped boxes and labelled in accordance with the nomencla- 

 ture of the Catalogue. 



The arrangement of the collection of Birds' Eggs has been 

 proceeded with by Mr. Seebohm ; 22 cabinets are now com- 

 pleted. The whole of the Egg collection, with the exception 

 of the Eggs of Passerine Birds, which are still in progress of 

 arrangement, is, therefore, available for study. 



Of the two cabinets specially constructed for the exhibition 

 of the Eggs of British Birds, one has been completed and 

 placed in the British Saloon for the use of visitors ; it con- 

 tains a very liberal selection of specimens to show the 

 variations in colour. 



3. The additions to the collections of Reptiles and Fishes 

 have been incorporated and entered in the printed catalogues 

 as soon as the specimens were examined and named. The 

 arrangement of the collection of Snakes has also been 

 proceeded with. 



Since the first publication of the first volume of the 

 " Catalogue of Fishes " 33 years have elapsed, and the con- 

 tributions made during this long interval, to our knowledge 

 of the Class, as well as to the collection in the Museum, have 

 been so numerous and important as to demand a thorough 

 systematic revision of the whole. Therefore, the Assistant 

 in charge of this part of the collection has commenced the 

 Manuscript of a new edition of the " Catalogue " (which will 

 occupy many years), and has made some progress with the 

 Te-examination and arrangement of the specimens of the first 

 family, that of the Perches. 



4. The rearrangement of the general collection of Land 

 Shells has been continued ; the Terrestrial Species found in 

 St. Helena, as well as a supplementary collection of Marine 

 Shells from the same island, the Shells of the Victoria 

 Nyanza, a collection of Land Shells from North Borneo, and 

 the species of the sub-genus Acila have been worked out and 

 reported upon ; and selections from the large collections made 

 by Messrs. J. J. Walker and Bassett-Smith, of H.M.S. " Pen- 



0.108. G 3 guin," 



