M4 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



X. — British Museum (Natural History). 



STATEMENT of Progress made in the Arrangement and 

 Description of the Collections, and Account of 

 Objects added to them, in the Year 1893. 



General. 



Visitors. 



It is satisfactory to be able to record that a notable increase 

 of visitors to the Natural History Collections has taken 

 place during the past year, the number having been 408,208 

 (giving a daily average of 1,321 persons), as against 351,917 

 in 1892. 



Oiuen Memorial. 



At a meeting held in the rooms of the Royal Society, on 

 the 21st January, 1893, His Royal Highness the Prince of 

 "Wales in the Chair, it was unanimously resolved : — " That it 

 is desirable that the eminent services of the late Sir Richard 

 Owen in the advancement of the knowledge of the Sciences 

 of Anatomy, Zoology, and Palaeontology should be commemo- 

 rated by some suitable Memorial " ; and " That the Memorial 

 shall consist primarily of a Marble Statue, which shall be 

 offered to the Trustees of the British Museum, to be placed 

 in the Hall of the Natural History Museum." 



The Trustees of the British Museum have expressed their 

 willingness to receive the statue, which it is proposed, in 

 accordance with the foregoing resolution, to offer to them, 

 and Mr. Thomas Brock, R.A., has been entrusted by the 

 Committee with its execution. 



Swiney Lectures. 



It was stated in the last Annual Return that the Trustees 

 would consider during the Summer what steps could be taken 

 for the better accommodation, either at the Museum or else- 

 where, of those desirous of attending this course of lectures. 

 As no suitable room could be found within the building, 

 application was made to the Lords of the Committee of 

 Council on Education for the use of the commodious Lecture 

 Theatre in the South Kensington Museum. This was most 

 readily granted, and although less convenient than if in close 

 proximity to the specimens, the distance was not found to be 

 too great to prevent the students adjourning, after some of 



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