ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



9. A portion of the celebrated collection of Heteromerous Beetles formed by F. 

 Bates, Esq. ; this is the first instalment acquired by purchase, containing 8,602 specimens 

 of Old World species, with numerous types described by the former owner and other 

 entomologists. 



10. The first half of a collection of Continental Hi/menoptera, formed by Hr. Bucheck«r; 

 it consists of 7,898 named specimens, many of which will probably become available for 

 exchange or distribution to other museums ; purchased. 



1 1. The first half of the unrivalled collection of North American Lepidoptera Heterocera 

 formed by Mr. A. R. Grote ; it consists of 3,247 carefully named and selected specimens, 

 a great number of which are types. As the British Museum was previously singularly 

 poor in this part of ihe North American Fauna, the purchase of this collection was of the 

 greatest importance, especially for the determination of European and North Asiatic types. 



Mammalia. — The additions to this class have been 252 in number ; the most noteworthy 

 are the following : — 



The skull of an ancient Britain found in a tumulus on Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire 

 coast ; presented by Mr. W. Williams, of St. David's. 



Nine human skulls, collected by Dr. Coppinger, in islands of the South Pacific. Several 

 of these interesting objects present an ethnographical as well as anthropological interest, 

 having been obtained with the ornamentations and in the original style of preservation 

 used by the natives in the preparation of such relics of their friends or enemies. 



A Chamois from the Tyrol; presented by B.I. and R. Highness the Crown Prince, 

 Archduke Rudolf of Austria. 



A pair of Avild reindeer from Norway ; presented by W. J. Ingram, Esq. 



A collection of 23 mammals from Gilgit, N. Cashmere ; collected and presented by Dr. 

 J. Scully, by wlmm an account of them has been published in the " Annals and Ma^jazine 

 of Natural History." It includes two typical specimens of a species new to science 

 {Arviccla bJanfordi), and one of another species new to the Museum collection. 



Twelve Mammalia from Kandahar ; collected and presented by Lieut.-Col. Charles 

 Swinhoe. This collection has been described by Dr. J. Scully, in the " Annals and 

 Magazine of Natural History," and contains two species new to the collection, one of 

 them ( Gerhillus swinhoei) being new to science. 



A series of 22 Rats and Mice from India; including typical specimens of four 

 species new to the Museum Collection i^Mus yunnanensis, sladeui, andarnanensis and 

 concolor); presented by the Trustees of the Calcutta Museum. 



One of the types of a new Indian Vole {Ai-vicula wynnei, Blanf.); presented and 

 collected by W. T. Blanford, Esq., f.r.s. 



A valuable collection of antelopes' skins and horns from the Upper Zambesi, consisting 

 of 14 specimens; of which two have been presented by, and the others purchased of, the 

 collector, Mr. F. C. Selous, who has written a paper in the " Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society," on this collection. 



Eleven Bats and four other Mammalia from Central America, most of them being 

 from the little-known Tres Marias Islands; presented by Messrs. F. Du Cane Godman 

 and O. Salvin. 



Twenty-eight Mammalia, mostly Rodent', from North Peru ; presented by Prof. L. 

 Taczanowski, of Warsaw. This series contained five species new to the collection ; two 

 of them {Hesperomys spinosus and H. taczanowsMi) being new to science. An account 

 of this collection, with descriptions of the new species, is in course of publication. 



The skull of a rare Dolphin from Chili {Eutropia dichei, Gr.); presented by T. 

 Edmonds, Esq. 



A series of 28 Bats from Pernambuco ; collected and presented by W. A. Forbes, Esq. 



Birds. — The total number of acquisitions amounts to 16,309 specimens. Two hundred 

 and twenty species were entirely new to the Museum, and the typical specimens reached 

 the number of 265. Besides some already mentioned, the following acquisitions deserve 

 to be referred to specially : — 



Fifty-six specimens of well-mounted British Birds from the collection of the late 

 Charles Coningham, Esq. ; presented by Mrs. Coningham. 



A Greenland Falcon {Hierofalco candicaiis), killed on the 1st of November, 1877. at 

 The Warren, Lough Foyle; presented by J. E. Harting, Esq., r.L.s. 



Fifty-six Thrushes and Warblers; presented by Henry Seebohm, Esq., r.L.s. 



One of the typical specimens of Sylvia deserticola (Tristram) ; presented by the Rev. 

 Canon Tristram, F.K.s. (Figured in the " Catalogue of Birds," Vol. V., pi. iii.). 



A fine series of Birds from Candahar, numbering 341 specimens; presented by 

 Lieut.-Col. Charles Swinhoe. 



A series of a rare species of Wren {Anorthura neglecta) ; collected by Major J. 

 Biddulph. 



A fine series of Chats {Saxicola morio and S. picata), numbering 194 specimens; 

 presented by Major J. Biddulph. 



One hundred and twenty-three Birds from Nepal and Gilgit ; presented by Dr. J. 

 Scully, F.z.s. 



A series of 44 Timaliine Birds from various parts of India ; as well as a series of 99 

 Wading Birds and 11 Swimming Birds from Gilgit; collected by Major J. Biddulph. 



Eighty-five 



