108 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



VeviJies. — Dr. Willey has continued his studies on the 

 Polychaeta, and has made a report on those collected in the 

 Antarctic Region by the " Southern Cross." The collection 

 of Platyhelminthes, Nemer tines, and Hirudinea has been 

 thoroughly overhauled and the spirit replenished. 



Echino derma. — All accessions have been determined, in- 

 corporated, and entered in the MSS. catalogues. The new 

 species of Holothurians and Crinoids, described during the 

 last ten years, have been added to the MSS. catalogues, which 

 are thus brought completely up to date. The collection 

 generall}^ is in good order. A new edition of the "Guide to 

 the Worms and Starfishes " has been published. 



Anthozoa. — A well-illustrated guide to this group has been 

 prepared, and will be published during the current year. The 

 re-arrangement of the dried collecbion of Alcyonaria and 

 Antipitharia has been completed, and the whole series ade- 

 quately indexed. 



Some progress has been made with the Catalogue of Corals. 



The series of British Marine Invertebrates has been re- 

 placed by a set of the commoner objects of the seashore, 

 which, it is thought, will be more instructive for those who 

 frequent the public galleries. 



The Reports on the Invertebrates collected by the 

 " Southern Cross " have been prepared by various specialists, 

 and are now in the press. 



Tunicata, Polyzoa, Hydrozoa, Porifera, and, Protozoa. — 

 A new case has been placed in the eastern end of the Coral 

 Galleryj containing a series of specimens, drawings, and 

 labels illustrating the structure of Sponges, typical examples 

 having been selected from each of the marine groups of that 

 class. A table-case, formerly occupied by the Hydrozoa, has 

 been set aside for the exhibition of a series illustrating the 

 varieties of commercial Sponges, and the mode of collecting 

 and preparing them for the market. This work is almost 

 completed. The cases containing Hydrozoa have been re- 

 fitted with velvet and beading, and new glass shelves have 

 been inserted in the case containing spirit-specimens. 



The Hydroida and Hydrocorallinfc have been re-arranged. 

 A copiously illustrated Guide to the Protozoa, Sponges, 

 and Hydrozoa has been written. 



Some work has been done in arranging the Reserve Col- 

 lection of dried Sponges. The whole collection has been 

 expanded, and now occupies 400 drawers instead of its former 

 space of 300, and has been re-arranged in a,ccordance with the 

 liiost recent system of classification. The drawers have been 

 labelled and an index drawn up. 



Progress has been made in the incorporation of the Busk 

 and Hincks collections of Polyzoa. 



