ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 29 



Department of Zoology. 



I. — Arrangement. 



The additions to tlie Collections of Mammals, Birda, Reptiles, and Fishes have been 

 entered in the printed Catalogues as soon as they had been examined and named. 



The examination of the exhibited series of Euviuiantia has been completed ; it was 

 undertaken chiefly with the object of withdrawing from the public galleries deteriorated 

 examples, and of replacing them when possible from specimens kept as skins in the study 

 series. The exhibited series of Rudentia is being similarly treated, and at the same time 

 a manuscript list of all the species and specimens is in course of preparation. 



The re-arrangement of the Passerine Birds, which was commenced in the year 1876, 

 has been continued. 



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

 " Catalogue of Fishes " has proceeded as far as the sixth volume. 



Among the MoUusca the collection of Pteropodn has received particular attention ; all 

 the specimens having been re-examined, re-labelled and re-arranged. 



Of Gastropods, the extensive genus MyodovQ., the fresh-water shells of Australia, and 

 the Shells of Lake Tanganyika and Central Africa generally have formed the subject 

 of separate monographs. 



The accessions to the Order of Coleoptera were so numerous that the time of Mr. C. O. 

 Waterhouse was almost wholly occupied in distributing them among the various families ; 

 on the other hand the Lepidopterous family of BombycidcE has been re-arranged and a 

 large family of Hymenoptera, the Tentliredlnidos, has been arranged for the first time, a 

 complete list of the species, with descriptions of new species, being prepared simulta- 

 neously. This work, on which Mr. Kirfiy is engaged, approaches completion. 



The species of Asterioidea preserved in spirits have been examined, labelled and 

 arranged, and are now easily accessible to the student. 



The arraugement of the collections of Sponges described by Lamarck, Schmidt, and 

 Bowerbank, has been continued. 



The spirit specimens of Hydroidea and Polyzoa have been arran^red. 



The large series of Invertebrata obtained by Dr. Coppinger during the survey of the 

 Straits of Maijellan by H. M. S. " Alert " has been thoroughly worked out, and lists, with 

 descriptions, of the more interesting forms are in progress of publication. 



II. — Duplicates. 



All specimens, which during the work of arranging the collections are found to be 

 duplicates, are set aside, either for distribution among the other National or Provincial 

 Museums in the United Kingdom, or for purposes of exchange. In the course of the 

 past year S^-iH specimens have been distributed among other institutions ; as, however, 

 the acquisition of superfluous specimens has always been avoided, the number of duplicates 

 is small, with the exception of Coleoptera. 



III. — Cataloguing, 

 One Catalogue only has been issued during the year 1880 : — 



"Illustrations of typical specimens of Xe/jzt^c/i^frw Heterocera in the collection of the 

 British Museum," Part IV., North American Tortricida. By Lord Walsingham, 4to. 

 (pp. 84, with 17 coloured plates). 



The fifth and sixth volumes of the " Cataloizue of Birds," and the fifth part of the 

 "Illustrations of Lepidoptera Heterocera," are in the press; the seventh volume of the 

 " Catalogue of Birds," and a Catalogue of " Tenthredinida^'' are in course of preparation. 



IV. — Conservation. 



Of the acquisitions of Vertebrate Animals, cliiefly Eumlnantia and a few belonging 

 to other orders, such as a large Sea-lion {Otaria forsteri), the Maned Wolf of Patagonia 

 (Can«_;«Z'r/^?<,?), have been mounted; on the other hand, a great number of smaller Mammalia, 

 particularly Rodents, have been withdrawn from exhibition. 



The systematic transfer of the skins of Passerine Birds into cabinets which will be used 

 in the Bird-room of the New Museum (as described In last year's Report), has been 

 continued. 



Further progress has been made in the formation of a series of groups of British Birds, 

 Illustrative of their nesting habits. The following have been added : Common Flycatcher, 

 Whinchat, Willow-warbler, Sedge-warbler, Nightingale, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, 

 Yellow Wagtail, Reed-bunting, Yellow-hammer, Skylark, Goatsucker, Green Wood- 

 pecker, and Ringed Plover. 



The work of renewing the spirits in the bottles containing wet preparations Is continued 

 whenever tlnie can be spared for this most necessary operation. 



The transfer of minute shells, Echlnoids, and Corals, Into glass-topped boxes has been 

 steadily continued ; all the unmounted Insects acquired during the year have been 



0*65 • D 3 mounted 



