ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 2f 



II. Conservation. 



Several skins and skeletons of the various species of Anthropoid Apes have been 

 mounted ; and an instructive series of this important group of animals has been set up in 

 a new glass case in the Central Saloon. A very large and well preserved specimen of 

 the Basking Shark, has been temporarily deposited in the Mammalian Saloon, its large 

 size proving an insurmountable obstacle to its being placed in the British Gallery. 



The work of re-labelling the stands of the exhibited series of birds is steadily pro- 

 gressing. The camphor in the cases of the Northern Gallery has been renewed. 



The erection of a small distilling-apparatus in the neighbourhood of the Museum- 

 building has greatly facilitated the perfect preservation of the series of large specimens 

 of Fishes in the collection, such examples requiring during the first five or six years a 

 frequent renewal of the spirits in which they are kept. 



To preserve more eflPectually the collection of the smaller kinds of shells from the 

 deteriorating eifects of the accumulation of dust, the plan of mounting each species in a 

 separate box of suitable size, with glass-top, has been adopted, and has hitherto proved 

 successful in every respect. 



Several large collections of Lepidoptera received from South America, South Africa, 

 and the Islands of the Pacific, have been mounted. 



III. Acquisitions. 



During the last year 25,340 specimens have been added to the several parts of the 

 collection, namely :— 



Vertebrata - - - - - - - - 3,188 



MoUusca -->_.-_- 18,034 



Annulosa __-____- 3,580 



Radiata (and Vermes) ------ 538 



Total - - - 25,340 



All these specimens have been marked with the date of their acquisition, and a 

 separate number corresponding to an entry in the manuscript register of accessions, in 

 which, for future reference, the name of the collector, the exact locality in which the 

 specimens were collected, the mode of their acquisition, and any other interesting informa- 

 tion regarding them are entered. Many of the new and more interesting species have 

 been described and figured by the officers of the Department. 



By the death of Commodore James G. Goodenough, the Department of Zoology has lost 

 one of its most zealous contributors. Anxious to advance our knowledge of the natural 

 productions of the islands of the South Pacific, which he had to visit during his com- 

 mand of the Australian Station, he applied, before his departure from England, for 

 instructions for the formation of Zoological collections, and for such of the Museum 

 publications as could be of use to him ; and it is owing to the encouragement which he 

 gave to his private secretary, Mr. W. Wykeham Perry, and to Mr. A. Corrie, the surgeon 

 of his ship, that most valuable collections (which will be mentioned hereafter) continued 

 to be received from these gentlemen during the whole period of his cruise. 



Mammalia. — The additions to this class have been 291 in number, of which the most 

 noteworthy are the following: — 



A collection of 87 specimens from various parts of Central America, made by O. 

 Salvin, Esq., F.R.S., and his collectors 



A collection of 39 specimens from Madagascar, containing several new species described 

 in the "Annals and Magazine of Natural History," and the " Proceedings of the Zoolo- 

 gical Society ; " purchased. 



A specimen of Semnopithecus potenziani, from Assam ; obtained by exchange. 



Eighteen species of Bats, new to the collection ; obtained by exchange. 



Sixteen specimens of Bats, from South Africa; presented by the Trustees of the 

 South African Museum, Cape Town. 



The typical specimen of a new and very large species of Golden Mole {Ckrysochloris 

 trevelyani), from British Caffraria, presented by Lieut. Herbert Trevelyan, r.a. 



A specimen of Mustela hoccamela, from Malta ; presented by C. A. Wright, Esq. 



A specimen oi Lepus meridionalis, from Spain ; presented by Lord Lilford. 



Two remarkable abnormally grown tusks of the African elephant, one being grown in 

 a spiral form, the other in a nearly complete circle ; purchased. 



The skull of a Rhinocerot from [Borneo (Rk. sunddicus) ; purchased. 



The skull and horns of a gigantic specimen of Ovis poli, obtained on May 2nd 1874 on 

 the Great Pamir, by Lieut.Col. T. E. Gordon, c.s.i., and presented by him. 



The skin and two skulls of Capricornis ciispa, from Japan ; presented by Professor 

 Rymer Jones. 



A specimen of Gazella granti, from the mainland of the Zanzibar dominions ; presented 

 by Dr. Kirk, H.M. Political Agent at Zanzibar. 



177. x> i Skin 



