DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 117 



Inquiry Committee : A large series of Grouse, Black Game, and 

 Ptarmigan, including many interesting phases of plumage and 

 valuable varieties. 



Reptilia, Batrachia, Pisces. 



All additions have been registered, and, with a few- 

 exceptions, named and incorporated in the collection. 



In the Reptile Gallery, a glass table-case from the Whale- 

 Room has been utilised for the exhibition of two additional 

 specimens of Giant Tortoises, taken from the store-collection. 

 The only other additions to this gallery are a Brazilian Tortoise 

 {Testudo tahulata), presented by F. V. McConnell, Esq. ; and a 

 coloured plaster-cast of a West African Python, the gift of 

 Rowland Ward, Esq. 



In the Study Series the renewal of the spirit has been 

 proceeded with, and the work of rearranging the stuffed 

 specimens, skeletons, and skins in the basement of the main 

 building has been completed. 



A number of skeletons, mostly of Fishes, has been added to 

 the collection. 



The second volume of the Catalogue of African Freshwater 

 Fishes has been published, and considerable progress has been 

 made with the MS. and figures for the third and last volume. 



Tunicata. 



The Tunicata have been removed to a large new wall-case 

 on the West side of the Shell Gallery. 



MOLLUSCA. 



The following is the principal work done during the year 

 in connection with the collection of Mollusca. 



The specimens from South Africa belonging to the genus 

 Phasianella have been worked out, and a new species described. 

 The working out of the large collection of land, freshwater, and 

 marine shells made at Bermuda by Major A. J. Peile, R.A., has 

 been continued, and in connection with this work many West 

 Indian forms have been studied and determined. A small 

 collection of marine shells from Christmas Island, obtained by 

 Mr. R. Kirkpatrick, has been worked out, and some new species 

 described. A report has been prepared, illustrated with eight 

 plates, upon some gigantic oysters found buried beneath the 

 streets of Calcutta, and on other specimens from the shores of 

 Cuttack and Mergui. The species of Thala, a group of the 

 family Mitridse, have been determined. A selection has been 

 made from a collection of marine shells from Bombay, the 

 specimens being named and mounted, and a new species of the 

 genus Acmcea described. A series of figured specimens from 

 the collection of the late Sylvanus Hanley have been identified, 

 and the shells obtained by the British Oiuithologists' Union 



