e 

 mer 



32 ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The great majority of last year's acquisitions Avere donations. The marked excess of 

 their number above the average of the last ten years is due cliiefly to the traiisfer of the 

 Hewitson collection of Lepidoptera. 



The most important acquisitions were the following : — 



1. The collection of Exotic Butterflies, bequeathed by the late William Chapman 

 Hewitson. This is one of the most extensive and valuable collections of this group of 

 animals that have ever been formed; it consists of 24,625 specimens referable to 5,795 

 species described by the testator in his "Exotic Butterflies " and "Diurnal Lepidoptera." 

 The collection is in a perfect state of arrangement and preservation, and by Mr. Hewit- 

 son's direction, a catalogue of its contents has been prepared and printed at the expense 

 of his estate. The testator attached to this bequest the condition that the collection 

 should be called the " Hewitson Collection," and should be kej^t in good order, preserva- 

 tion and condition, and in the same cabinets, and in the same order and arrangement, and 

 under the same nomenclature as they should be at the time of his decease, until the expira- 

 tion of twenty-one years from that time. 



2. The Zoological collections of the former Indian Museum, transferred by Her 

 Majesty's Secretary of State for India. Although only such specimens as were actually 

 desiderata to the British JSluseum, or to which a historical interest is attached, have been 

 selected, still the number of objects is so great that only the smaller part could be in- 

 cluded in last year's accessions. According to the desire of the Secretary of State for 

 India, the duplicates were distributed among such other museums whose principal object 

 is the advancement of the Natural History of the Indian Empire. A great portion of 

 the economic products have been transferred to the South Kensington Museum. 



3. The complete study set of the Shore-fishes, and a preliminary series of a part of th 

 Echini, collected during the voyage of Her Majesty's Ship "Challenger." The forme 

 consists of upwards of 650 specimens, the latter of 334. 



4. A series of 2,006 skins of birds from different parts of the Old World ; presented by 

 Messrs. F. Du Cane Godman and O. Salvin. This valuable collection consists of well- 

 authenticated sjjecimens, and besides, contains the birds obtained by the donors in Algeria, 

 in the Azorea and the Canary Islands, and described by them in their memoirs on the 

 Ornithology of those localities. 



5. A valuable collection of animals of all orders, obtained by Dr. Coppinger, in the 

 Straits of Magelhaen, during the survey of Her Majesty's Ship " Albert." This series 

 includes many new or rare marine forms. 



6. A series of 3,445 Hyraenoptera, including types of 554 species, selected from a col- 

 lection formed by tha late Mr. Frederick Smith. 



7. A selection of 1,062 Lepidoptera from the well-known collection formed by Dr. Lid- 

 derdale in Darjeeling and Bhotan ; purchased. 



8. The WoUaston collection of St. Helena Lepidoptera, consisting of 364 specimens, 

 and including types of 38 species, collected and described by Mrs. Vernon Wollaston ; 

 purchased. This must must be regarded as one of the most important acquisitions of last 

 year, as the accurate and perfect knowledge of the Fauna and Flora cif so isolated a 

 locality as St. Helena at a given period will enable future investigators to determine 

 exactly the changes which are taking place in oceanic islands, not only with regard to the 

 composition of their fauna and flora, but also with regard to the specific characters of the 

 animals and plants imported into them. 



Mammalia. — The additions to this class have been 941 in number, of which 609 were 

 obtained from the Indian Museum ; the most noteworthy of the other accessions are the 

 foUoAving : — 



A collection of 93 skins and skulls of British and European Mammalia ; presented by 

 E. R. Alston, Esq. The specimens of this collection are marked in detail with the sex, 

 locality, and season at which they were obtained. 



A fine specimen of a wild male Reindeer from Norway ; presented b}^ Charles Ingram, 

 Esq. 



Specimens of the Fruit-bat of Cyprus ( Cynonycteris collaris) ; presented by Lord 

 Lilford. 



Fine specimens of the Caucasian Ibex and Chamois, and other Mammals from the 

 Caucasus, obtained by exchange from the Warsaw Museum. 



An adult male Elk from Labrador ; purchased. 



The skin of liudorcas taxicolor from Upper Assam ; presented by Lieut. Colonel 

 Gi'aham. 



A fine male specimen, with its skeleton, of the Rhinoceros of Malacca {R. niger), 

 obtained in the country north of Mount Ophir. 



A series of 31 Mammalia from Sumatra, collected by Carl Bock ; purchased. 



A series of 20 Mammalia from the Philippines and Borneo, collected by A. Everett, 

 Esq., and containing a new species of Porcupine {Hystrix pumila), and a new species of 

 rat {Mus everetti). 



A series 



