r^G ACCOUNTS, &C., OK THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



to extinction, in the island of Tasmania. In New Guinea has been discovered a small 

 kangaroo ( JDorcopsis luctuosa), exhibiting the modification of macropodal dentition 

 characteristic of the genus (Sthenurus) of huge extinct kangaroos known by fossils from 

 the "drifts" of Australia. The record of the reception of the type of the rare existing 

 Papuan kangaroo in the series of Zoology is, at the same time, a note of the increased 

 interest and value attached to specimens in the Department of Geology. The un- 

 remitting attention and friendly interest in the enrichment of the collections of Natural 

 History manifested by Dr. George Bennett, f.l.s., of Sydney, New South Wales, 

 continue to be exemplified in the Departmental Keports, especially in relation to the 

 fossils of Australia. In the present Keport are to be noticed fossil remains from South 

 Africa, which have reached the Museum in former years, but so enveloped in matrix of 

 hard rock that the characters requisite for determining the nature and affinities of the 

 animals had not, until lately, been wrought out. These remains, of which a large pro- 

 portion has been exhibited in the Department of Geology, in 1875, exemplify reptilian 

 forms; some combining characters of the crocodile, lizard, and tortoise with tusks like 

 those of the walrus; others with a carnivorous dentition akin to that in feline and certain 

 marsupial mammals, supported on jaws of Saurian structure and associated with limb- 

 bones, combining mammalian with reptilian modifications; others, again, exemplify new 

 genera of huge herbivorous Reptilia, with a less ossified, more embryonal, type of 

 vertebrae than in the Iguanodon or other Dinosauria of the European mesozolc ^series. 

 The formations from which the evidences of these Tretospondilian, . Theriodontal, 

 Anomodontal and Labyrinthodontal reptiles have been derived are of Upper Paleozoic, 

 or not later than lower Mesozolc f Triassic) age. 



The specimens form the subject of an illustrated "Catalogue of the Fossil Remains 

 of Reptilia of South Africa," 4to., now In course of preparation by Order of the Trustees. 

 Amongst the donors of these specimens the names of Andrew Geddes Bain, f.g.s., and 

 of W. Guybon Atherstone, M.r>., r.G.S., merit special notice. 



Richard Owen. 



Department of Zoology. 



I. Arrangement. 



^ The work of arranging and cataloguing the Collections of Chiropterous and Qua- 

 drumanous Mammalia, which was commenced In the preceding year, has been proceeded 

 with. To make room for several specimens of considerable bulk that have been recently 

 added to the Collection, it has been found necessary to re-arrange the series of large 

 Mammalia exhibited In the Central and Mammalian Saloons. 



The examination and re-arrangement of the Nocturnal Birds of Prey has been com- 

 pleted, and that of the specimens of the Crow- tribe commenced. 



Valuable additions to the series of gigantic Land-Tortoises have been examined, and 

 compared with the materials previously acquired. The work of collecting the prelimi- 

 nary materials towards a re-arrangement of the Collection of Lizards has been com- 

 pleted. 



A systematic list of all the species of Fishes described since the publication of the 

 " Catalogue of Fishes " is now in the course of preparation ; an important work, by 

 which not only the acquisition of desiderata, but also the determination of new additions, 

 will be greatly facilitated. Several groups, as the Carangidce, Scombridce, Pediculati, etc. 

 have been re-examined, and numerous recent acquisitions named and entered in the 

 Catalogue. 



A portion of the extensive Collection of Shells bequeathed by the late Rev. R. T. 

 Lowe, has been incorporated with the general Collection. The determination and 

 arrangement of the Nudlbranchous Mollusks has been commenced. 



The general arrangement of the specimens of Crustaceans has been continued. 



In the Collection of Coleoptera, the arrangement of the family of Passalida has been 

 completed, and is followed by that of the l.ongicornia. In addition to this work, some 

 130 new species (chiefly Lamellicornia) have been described, and a great number of 

 other forms have been named at the same time, on account of their close relationship to 

 those new species. 



Of the Collection of Moths (^Lepidoptera ]{eterocera\ the arrangement of the families 

 Agaristida; and Zygcenidce has been finished, this work having proceeded as far as the 

 family Arctiida. 



The arrangement of the extensive Class of Dipterous Insects has been completed. It 

 occupies 90 drawers and is represented by 7,162 species and 15,102 specimens. AU 

 these specimens have been so arranged that sufficient space Is left for future accessions, 

 which can thus be incorporated without disturbing the previous contents of the 

 drawers. 



The greater portion of the Collection of dried specimens of Starfish {AsteriidoB) has 

 been named and labelled. 



. The arrangement of the Cyclostomatous Polyzoa, described in the 3rd part of the 

 Catalogue, has been completed. 



II. Conservation. 



