DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 103 



Bamaliscus tiang ; Okapia johnstoni ; Giraffa camelopar- 

 dalis ; Cervus porcinus ; Sus cristatus. 



Aves. — Great progress has been made during the past year 

 with the re-arrangement and exhibition of the birds in the 

 Public Gallery. Two-thirds of the collection have now been 

 put into order, the old and faded specimens removed and 

 replaced by beautifully mounted examples, representing the 

 leading families and genera of the class Aves. The mounting 

 has been entrusted to Mr. Cullingford of Durham, and 

 Mr. G. Pickardt, both of whom are celebrated for their 

 correct taxidermy of animals. 



Two new groups of British Birds with their nests and eggs 

 have been presented during the year, viz., those of the 

 Tawny Owl {Syrnium aluco), presented by C. J. Horsburgh, 

 Esq., and that of the Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella noevia), 

 presented by Dr. J. E. Kelso and John Stares, Esq. 



Six additional pier-cases have been placed in the Bird 

 Gallery, containing groups of certain families, such as the 

 Birds of Paradise, Bower-birds, etc. 



During the past year considerable accessions have been 

 added to the osteological and oological collections. These 

 have been registered and incorporated, and marked progress 

 has been made in the arrangement of the skeletons and eggs 

 of birds. 



The collection of eggs is being catalogued by Mr. Eugene 

 W. Gates, who has, in the course of the year, arranged 15,000 

 specimens in the cabinets, and has completed the first volume 

 of the " Catalogue of Birds Eggs in the British Museum," 

 published by the Trustees. The second volume of this 

 important work is also shortly to be issued, and the third 

 volume is in progress. 



The whole of the large collection of skeletons and bones of 

 the Accipitves has been arranged and labelled by Mr. W. P. 

 Pycraft, who has also determined all the accessions to the 

 collection of birds in spirit. 



The actual number of specimens registered, labelled and 

 incorporated during the year is 19,743. 



Mr. Robert Reid, who has been a voluntary assistant in the 

 Museum for some years past, has done the entire registration 

 and labelling of the accessions, and his help is gratefully 

 acknowledged by the officers of the Bird-section. 



Reptilia, Batrachia, and Pisces. — The spirit collections 

 are, as stated in previous Reports, in an overcrowded state. 

 Further progress has been made with the preparation of 

 skeletons of Fishes. 



