GENERAL PROGRESS AI^ THE MUSEUM. 1? 



a large number of private donors, in some cases through the 

 agency of the National Art-Collections Fund. Among the 

 antiquities may be mentioned a number of objects of Gothic 

 workmanship from the Crimea and the Balkan Peninsula ; 

 Chinese pottery ; early maiolica from Orvieto ; several articles 

 obtained by the British and Chinese troops in Tibet ; and a set 

 of jade tablets from the Temple of Ancestors at Pekin. Among 

 acquisitions more distinctly ethnographical are Japanese, 

 Formosan, and Korean objects from the Japan-British Exhibi- 

 tion ; a large collection made by the Torday expedition in 

 Belgian Congo, and another, from East Africa, made by Mr. 

 Scoresby Routledge; and a number of gold ornaments from 

 Colombia. From the Christy Trustees have been received a 

 large and very valuable ethnographical series, acquired by them 

 from the London Missionary Society, and representing the 

 collections of some of the earliest missionaries of the Society. 



In the Department of Coins and Medals considerable 

 additions have been made to the collection of Macedonian coins, 

 with a view to a catalogue, now in course of preparation. In 

 all, 1,548 coins and medals were acquired by the Department in 

 the course of the year, of which 499 were received by gift. 

 Sixty-five coins, some of great rarity, were derived from a 

 hoard found in Hampshire, dating from the middle of the 

 second century. Another interesting group consisted of coins 

 struck during the revolt of Judaea in the reign of Hadrian. 

 Among the English coins acquired were a Bristol halfpenny of 

 Henry VI. and a quarter-angel of James I., both believed to be 

 unique ; among French coins, a series of provincial issues ; and 

 among Oriental coins, a very fine collection of the Gupta 

 dynasty, of the 4th and 5th centuries. 



Gifts of Museum publications, including reproductions of 

 prints by Old Masters, and sets of electrotypes of British 

 Historical Medals, have been made to Free Libraries, Museums, 

 and Art Schools throughout the United Kingdom, and to 

 institutions in various Colonies. 



The following are the publications issued by the Depart- 

 ments at Bloomsbury during the year : — 



Facsimiles of Egyptian Hieratic Papyri in the British 

 Museum. With descriptions, translations, &c., by E. A. Wallis 

 Budge, Litt.D. Folio, ll. 10s. 



Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia. Vol. V. Plates L- 

 LXX. Lithographed reprint. Folio, ll. 7s. 



Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets, &c., in the 

 British Museum. Parts XXVII.-XXIX. 50 plates each. 

 Foolscap, 7s. 6d. each part. 



The Sculptures of the Parthenon, with an Introduction and 

 Commentary by A. H. Smith, With 85 photogravure plates, 



119. B 



