44 Af:COUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSKUM. 



nomenclature. Explanatory tablets and maps showing the geographical distribution of 

 the principal types are also being prepared Tor this gallery. A series of the horns of the 

 Buffalo, sho^\ing tlieir extraordinary development as well as their variation in form, has 

 been selected and arranged for exhibition in the Osteological Saloon. O'f the study- 

 seriea of Mammalia the Marsupials have been thoroughly examined, labelled and re- 

 arranged. 



No progress has been made in completing the arrangement of llic contents of the Inrd 

 Gallery, o\vin<i to the great pressure of Avork connected with the influx of an immense 

 number of specimens which required imm.ediate attention. The staff engaged in this 

 branch of the Department had to be strengthened, as the incorporation of these additions 

 and the elimination of superfluous duplicates necessitate the rearrangement of the entire 

 series of Birds-skins ; twenty cabinets out of One hundred and forty-six have been thus 

 rearranged to the present time. The arrangement and labelling of tlie Passerine Birds 

 have been continued, without interruption, chiefly by employing external aid. 



Also the rearrangement of the collection of Birds' eggs has been continued, 3,702 eggs 

 having been labelled and put away upon cotton-wool in glass-topped boxes. 



'The Tortoises and Lizards belonging to the Central American Fauna have been 

 examined, and many sjiecimens determined or relabelled. 



The arrangement of the collection of Lizards has again made much progress, the 

 family Iguanida having been completed, and the AngnidcB, AnniellidcB, Xantusiida^ 

 Lacertida, Gerrhosuurida and Sc'nicida having been put in order. 



The general arrangement of the Fish Gallery has been completed, and in a case near 

 to this gallery a series of the more interesting and typical fornis oi' Batiacliians has been 

 exhibited. 



In the Insect Gallery the arrangement of the series of Crustacea, Hymenoptera, 

 Coleoptera, Neuroptera, Di]>tera, Hemiptera and Homoptera has been completed so far 

 as material at disposal will permit ; but of many species which should be included in the 

 series there are at present no specimens available, and most of the specimens have yet 

 to be re-set and mounted uniformly ; this work is in progress. Many of the nests of 

 Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera to be exhibited in the wall-cases have been mounted. 



The rearrangement of the study series of Lepidofdera and incorporation of the " Zeller " 

 collection have made considerable progress. 



In the Star-Fish Gallery much time and attention has been given to the preparation of 

 explanatory labels. Progress has been made with the determination of the Holothurians ; 

 and all Echinoderms and Worms, with few exceptions, have been named before they were 

 incorporated in the general series. 



In the exhibition-series of Sponges and Corals, plans have been prepared and partly 

 carried out for the addition of about 400 cubic feet of new cases; through the kindness of 

 Mr. H. I'. Brady the Protozoa are now represented, for the first time, by a thoroughly 

 typical and illustrated series vi Foraniivifera. 



In the study-series, the collection of Sponges has been partly rearranged ; the large and 

 representative collection o^ n&n\ef\ For aminifer a (mainly acquired during the year) has 

 been arranged ; the additions to the collection of microscopic slides have been placed in 

 suitable cases. Reference to this important part of the collection has been facilitated by 

 the provision of suitable systematic labels. 



The greater part of the Madreporaria porosa have been rearranged in or near that part 

 of the Coral Gallery which was at first devoted to the Sponges. The ' Porcupine ' collec- 

 tion of deep-sea Corals has been mounted, labelled, and exhibited as a distinct series, 

 and a series of spiiit-specimens of Spongida has been mounted for exhibition. 



The study-series of Hgdrozoa and Pohjzoa. have been separated into their main groups, 

 and in part arranged ; numerous specimens of Polyzoa Avhich were found growing over 

 other specimens have been carefully removed, mounted, and in part identified. 



The progress of the arrangement of the British Room has been confined to the Mollusca 

 and Insects. Of the former the Land and Fresh-water forms, and about one-half of the 

 marine Bivalves have been completed, and this branch of the British Fauna promises to 

 fully satisfy the requirements of the student by its completeness as well as the mode of 

 exhibition. The series of British Hymenoptera and Diptera have also been completed. 



II. — Registration. 



All the specimens obtained during the year (with the exception of the Hume 

 Collection) have been marked with the date of their acquisition, and a separate number 

 corresponding with an entry in the manuscript rejiister of accessions: in this, for future 

 reference, the name of the collector, the exact locality in which the sjjecimens were 

 collected, the mode of their acquisition, and any other valuable information regarding 

 them, are entered. 



III. — Conservatiofi, 



The work of conservation has been steadily continued by dusting and cleaning in 

 rotation the specimens of Mammalia and Birds, renewing the camj)hor in the Store- 

 cabinets and Insect-drawers, and the spirits in the collection of wet preparations. 



The efforts which have been made during the past year to moderate the dryness of the 

 temperature of the rooms in the basement have been in a measure successful, the danoage 



done 



