BRITISH MUSEUM. 11 



GENERAL PROGRESS AT THE 

 NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM. 



The total number of visitors to the Natural History Museum during 

 1929 Avas 541,198 as compared with 567,273 in 1928. The visitors on 

 . Sunda}^ afternoons numbered 88,386 as against 88,847 in the previous 

 year ; and the number of persons who attended the demonstrations 

 of the Official Guide during the year was 12,972 as against 13,826 in 

 1928. 



The Museum Building. 

 The extension of the New Spirit Building for the use of the 

 Department of Entomology was almost completed ; and the erection 

 of a second storey of studies over the eastern half of the north colonnade, 

 to provide additional accommodation for the Department of Geology, 

 was begun. The construction of iron galleries in certain of the 

 basement rooms in the same Department was commenced. Progress 

 Mas made with the installation of the lift given by the late Mr. Oldfield 

 Thomas, F.R.S. ; and work was started on a lift for the carriage of 

 heavy specimens between the basement and the ground floor of the 

 Department of Geology. Plans were approved for the new Whale 

 Room. In the last few days of the year H.M. Office of Works took 

 possession of the part of the Museum grounds to the north-east of the 

 main building upon which the new Museum of Practical Geology is 

 to be built. 



The Exhibition Galleries. 



In the Central Hall a case was placed on exhibition containing 

 specimens and photographs to illustrate the life-history of locusts, 

 locust outbreaks, methods of control, etc. 



New mammals exhibited include a giant eland and a young Sumatran 

 rhinoceros. A series of photographs of African big game was 

 displayed in the lower Mammal Gallery. A model of a rare octopod 

 was made and placed on exhibition in the Shell Galler3^ The new 

 exhibits in the Geological Galleries include a plesiosaur discovered at 

 Harbur}^, Warwickshire, a collection of fossil fishes from Queensland, 

 and an exhibit illustrating the evolution of certain Gault ammonites. 

 In the Mineral Gallery a large mass of strongly magnetic lodestone was 

 set up and a collection of polished marbles was framed and placed 

 on the wall ; in the corridor outside the same gallery a large block of 

 triboluminescent zinc-blende was placed on exhibition. 



Revision and re-arrangement was carried on as usual throughout 

 all Departments. 



The Study Collections. 



The determination and incorporation of acquisitions, the description 

 of new species, and related work, continued to occupy most of the time 

 of the scientific staff and of numerous voluntary and other unofficial 

 workers. It is opportune here to express the Trustees' sense of their 

 indebtedness to the many specialists who have/ given their services 

 during the year. 



The study of the False Killer Whales stranded in Dornoch Firth in 

 1927 was continued. Among other groups of mammals to which special 

 attention was given were monkeys, carnivores and ungulates. 



