ACCOUNTS, &C., 01/ TPIE BRITISH MUSEUM. 2^ 



all the specimens in the collection being determined as tlie list proceeds. Collections of 

 Amphipoda from Spitzbergen, of Decapoda and hopoda from Tropical South America, 

 of Crustacea generally from New Zealand and the South Pacific, Irom Ilodriguez and 

 Kerguelen Land, and from Lake Baikal, have been examined and incorporated with the 

 general collection ; also repoi'ts of these collections have been prepared for publication 

 with descriptions of the new species. 



In the collection of Lisecta, the preliminary arrangement of the Lonf/icornia, and a 

 thorough revision and rearrangement of several Lepidopterous families ( LWiosildai, 

 HypsidcE, MelameridcB, Dioptida, Ni/ctcrneridiC,- Eusckemidce, ChalcosUdccJ have been 

 finished ; and the various extensive series obtained during last year, and to be mentioned 

 hereafter, have been determined and incorporated, and the new forms described. 



The work of determining, arranging, and cataloguing the extensive series of Corals, 

 which includes about 1,000 specimens, has been commenced. The general arrangement 

 of the Sponges having becji completed (with the kind assistance of Dr. Carter), this work 

 is to be followed by a detailed specific examination of the specimens of this obscure class 

 of animals. 



The large collection obtained by the naturalists of the " Transit of Venus " Expedition, 

 and com2:)rising animals of nearly all classes, has been examined ; the species have been 

 named and arranged, and the duplicates distributed among other institutions. A nominal 

 list of the species, as well as detailed reports and descriptions of the new forms, have been 

 prepared, 



II. Cataloguing. 



The following Catalogue has been printed during the year 1-876 : — 



" Catalogue of British Hymeno[)tera," Vol. I. British Bees (^Apidce and Andrenida), 



by F. Smith. Second Edition, 8vo. (pp. 236, with 11 plates). 



The third volume of the " Catalogue of Birds," and the first part of " Illustrations of 



Types of Lepidoptera Heterocera," are in the press. 



III. Conservation. 



Of the acquisitions of Vertebrate Animals, only examples of large size, or such as will 

 contribute to the insti'uction of the general public, have been mounted for exhibition in 

 the galleries: thus, for instance, a group of Lemurs ( Propithecus), groups' of. the Wild 

 Goat of Asia Minor, and some Antelopes {Guzella granti, N(in^,tragus iiigrocaudatus, 

 Haiga tartarica), the skeleton of a wild Buflflilo from Abyssinia, the skeleton of a Hippo- 

 potamus, skeletons of the Solitaire {Pezopliaps solitarius), male and female, and of the 

 large extinct Goose of New Zealand { Cncndornis), three species of Cassowaries (C 

 zcesterrnanni, C. picticollis, and C. heccarii) ; several carapaces and skeletons of Gigantic 

 Land Tortoises ; skin and skeleton of tlie Gigantic Marine Lizard from the Galapagos 

 ( /imblyrhyndius'), an Anaconda, two Sharks, etc. All the other Vertebrate Animals 

 acquired during the year, and preserved either as skins or skeletons, or in spirits, have 

 been placed in the reserve rooms, being not the less accessible to the student. 



Of a number of skins of mammals and reptiles the skulls have been extracted, the 

 examination of the cranial characters being now generally considered a necessary clement 

 in the study of these animals. The skins of the Carnivorous Mammalia have been taken 

 out of the store-boxes, examined and cleaned. 



The exhibited series of Birds has been cleaned ; and the work of re-labelling the stands 

 is still in progress. 



The spirits in the bottles containing the large specimens of Fishes, as well as those 

 enumerated in the sixth volume of the " Catalogue," have been renewed. To insure the 

 perfect preservation of the most valuable specimens, especially of the types, the plan has 

 been adopted of hermetically closing the bottle by a bladder firmly tied round the neck 

 of the bottle. 



The work of mounting the species of shells in separate glass-top boxes, mentioned in 

 last year's report, has been continued. 



Several large collections of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, and other insects, have been 

 mounted. 



IV. Acquisitions. 



During the last year 24,685 specimens have been added to the several parts of the 

 collection : — 



Vertebrata -------- 5,870 



MoUusca -----_-- 3,307 



Annulosa - 15,083 



Radiata (and Vermes) ------ 425 • 



Total - - - 24,685 



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 



iG6. D which 



