20 



BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY) 



In the Department of Zoology in particular advice or assistance was 

 given regarding the fur trade ; whahng and sealing ; the control of 

 rats, rabbits, and other pests ; the importation of plumage ; and the 

 protection of birds in Fiji and the Seychelles. Collections of ticks from 

 British Somaliland were v/orked out in connexion with the spread of 

 relapsing fever and diseases of domestic animals. The tropical rat 

 mite, Liponyssus bacoti, was found to be a serious pest in factories and 

 workshops which harboured the Black Eat. Inquiries were answered 

 concerning the molluscan vectors of Schistosoma, slugs in cellars, and 

 aquatic snails blocking water-pipes. 



Libraries. 



In the General Library a further transference of books was made 

 from the main gallery to the iron gallery and the basement, only those 

 volumes of periodicals dated since 1913 now being kept in the main 

 Library. A departmental Library was formed for the Department of 

 Entomology. During the year 222 books, 1,594 volumes of periodicals, 

 and 276 maps were acquired by purchase and presentation, and of the 

 periodicals 71 were new to the Library. The cataloguing of accessions 

 for the whole Museum was carried out in the General Library, 2,058 

 books and 36 maps being dealt with during 1937. 



Among the gifts received were : — 



From Professor J. Stanley Gardiner, F.R.S. : thirteen scientific works, 

 six of which were new to the Museum Library. 



From the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia : a copy of 

 " A Glossary to Say's Conchology " (1832). 



From Mrs. E. C. L. Norman : the scientific correspondence, dra\vdngs 

 and other documents, relating to the marine zoological work of the late 

 Canon A. N. Norman (1831-1918). 



From Mr. Charles Dru Drury : the correspondence of Dru Drury, 

 the celebrated naturahst (1725-1803). 



From the Secretary of State for India : two volumes of the original 

 drawings of Donovan's " British Butterflies." 



From Mr. H. St. J. K. Donisthorpe : a valuable collection of natural 

 history books, chiefly on ants. 



Additions to the Collections. 



The number of acquisitions in the several Departments during the year 

 apart from specimens received too late for incorporation and from books, 

 was as follows : — 



Department. 



Purchases. 



Donations, 

 etc. 



Total. 



Zoology 



Entomology 



Geology 



Mineralogy 



Botany 



9,056 



232,826 



2,073 



867 



15,881 



24,481 

 94,939 

 53,597 

 1,493 

 48,536 



33,537 



327,765 



55,670 



2,360 



64,417 



Totals 



260,703 



223,046 



483,749 



