BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY) 



GENERAL PROGRESS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM 

 (NATURAL HISTORY) 



The total number of visitors to the Natural Historj^ Museum during 

 1932 was 602,918 as compared with 537,170 in 1931 ; the largest 

 number in any previous year was 569,318 in 1927. The visitors on 

 Sunday afternoons numbered 101,205 as against 99,617 last year. The 

 total number of visitors attending the tours of the Official Guide - 

 Lecturer during 1932 was 19,224, being an increase of 6,691 on the figure 

 for 1931. 



To supplement the tours conducted by the Guide -Lecturer, more 

 advanced lectures have, since the beginning of October, been given on 

 Monday mornings by members of the scientific staff ; some of these 

 lectures have been given in the Board Room, and have been illustrated 

 by lantern slides. This development seems to be much appreciated. 



In view of the continued necessity for stringent economy, the 

 Treasury were unable to include in the Estimates for 1933 provision 

 for the filling of any of the thirteen new posts of Assistant Keeper, or 

 for the recruitment of the additional staff on the subordinate establish 

 ment, which had been agreed upon in consequence of the recom- 

 mendations of the Royal Commission on National Museums and 

 Galleries. 



Exhibition Galleries. 



The new Whale Building was handed over by H.M. Office of Works on 

 23 February, and a temporary exhibition of the Game Animals of the 

 Empire was arranged in it and was opened to the public on 31 May. 

 Several hundred mounted specimens and heads were transferred to the 

 Gallery for this purpose. In addition to the specimens exhibited a 

 large number of photographs by Mr. Marius Maxwell, Mr. Marcuswell 

 Maxwell, Lady Broughton, and others were placed on the walls of the 

 Gallery together with some oil and water colour paintings of animals 

 by Mr. J. C. Dollman, R.W.S. The animals were arranged in three 

 sections : — (1) Indo-Malaya ; (2) Africa ; and (3) Canada and New- 

 foundland. 



Several additions of rodents and collections of game trophies from a 

 variety of donors were made to the Upper Mammal Gallery. The 

 Javan rhinoceros {Rhinoceros sondaicus), shot and presented by 

 Mr. A. S. Vernay, was mounted at the donor's expense and placed on 

 exhibition. The North Hall was rearranged under the supervision 

 of the Director, and cases dealing with the musk rat and the nutria, 

 or coypu, were placed in the Central Hall. In the Bird Gallery 

 continued progress was made with the rearrangement of British Birds 

 and two new cases of waders were added. The rearrangement of the 

 Fish Gallery was continued. 



In the Entomological Department many small alterations and 

 improvements were carried out, but work was mostly devoted to the 

 preparation of a diorama illustrating British freshwater insects. This 

 was not completed, however, within the year. 



Additions to the Geological Galleries included : a skeleton of a 



