BEITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY). 97 



provide in the Museum Estimate (Class IV. j, 1908-9, for the 

 installation of the new apparatus in the west (Zoological) 

 wing of the building. 



Works, etc. 



The ceiling, walls, and pillars of the Bird Gallery have 

 been whitened, in order to improve the lighting. 



The construction of a room over the western corridor 

 to contain the study collection of small mammals is being 

 proceeded with. 



On the recommendation of the Chief Officer of the London 

 Fire Brigade, automatic sprinklers for fire protection have 

 been placed in the building containing the collections pre- 

 served in spirit ; and, for the better security of the Museum, 

 an auxiliary fire main has been provided. 



Expedition to Equatorial Africa, 



By the liberality of several friends of the Museum, who 

 supplied the requisite funds, an exhibition was organized 

 under the leadership of Mr. R. B. Woosnam for the zoological 

 exploration of Mount Ruwenzori in Equatorial Africa. The 

 expedition was successful in obtaining a very fine and 

 valuable collection of specimens of the fauna of the mountain, 

 including a number of new species. 



Gifts. 



The total number of gifts received during the year by 

 the several Departments of the Museum was 2,105, as com- 

 pared with 2,057 in 1906. Many of these comprised large 

 numbers of individual specimens. The details of the more 

 important of them will be found in the reports of the Keepers 

 of the Departments, but the following may be mentioned as 

 of special interest : — 



From the Egyptian Government. —An important series of 

 fishes from the Nile, forming a portion of the collection made 

 by Mr. Leonard Loat during the years 1899-1902, probably 

 the largest collection of fishes from one river ever brought 

 together. The Museum series includes the types of 30 new 

 species. 



From His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. — The 

 skeleton of an Indian elephant from Mysore. 



From the Hon. W. Rothschild. — A mounted specimen of a 

 bull of the Alaskan Elk. 



From Mr. Boyd Alexander, in the name of the Alexander- 

 Gosling Expedition. — The skin and skull of a male Okapi, 

 and portions of the skin of two other individuals of the 

 same species, obtained by him during his recent journey from 

 Nigeria to the Nile, 



0.109. Q 



