ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. -,5 



The Swiney Geological Lectures were delivered in the summer by Dr. R. H. Traquair, 

 and attended by an average for each of the twelve lectui'es of 72 persons, a considerable 

 increase upon the attendance of last year. These lectures are free. The subject was 

 *' The Geology and Palaeontology of the Carboniferous System." 



The most important additions to tlie Museum by presentation have been : — 



A further portion, consisting chiefly of Corals and Holothurlans, of the collections formed 

 by H.M.S. " Challenger; " presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. 



A complete set of the Zoological specimens collected by Dr. J. E. T. Aitchison, f.k.s. 

 C.I.E., the medical officer attached to the Afghanistan Boundary Commission, consistincr 

 of 33 mammals, 230 birds, 149 reptiles, 31 fishes, and 302 insects ?,nd Crustacea, presented 

 by order of the Secretary of State for India. The duplicates from this collection are 

 to be sent to museums in Indin. 



Messrs. O. Salvin and F. Du Cane Godman have continued to enrich the collections 

 of insects and birds by further extensive contributions from their Central American collec- 

 tions, all named and described, and in admirable preservation. The specimens of Coleop- 

 tera added during the past year have been 8,813 in number, representing 1,539 species. 

 The number of the birds has amounted to 1,622. 



Mr. H. Seebohm has presented to the collection of birds about 500 specimens from various 

 localities, including the series of Accipitres collected in Siberia, the types of the Swinhoe 

 Collection, and a series showing interesting intermediate conditions between the Hooded 

 and Carrion Crows and another between two supposed distinct species of Goldfinch. 



The very important collection of recent and fossil Brachiopoda formed by the late Dr. 

 Thomas Davidson, of Brighton, containing all the types described in his various mono- 

 gz-aphs, together with a large number of books, pamphlets, original drawings and manu- 

 scripts relating to the group, have been presented by Mr. William Davidson, the sole 

 executor, in accordance with the often-expressed wishes of his father, although no 

 definite testamentary disposition of the collection had been made. 



The late Mr. C. E. Broome, of Elmhurst, near Bath, a distinguished mycologist, has 

 bequeathed a valuable collection of fungi, including numerous types of published species, 

 as well as books and pamphlets. 



A valuable collection of sponges, made in South Australia, has been presented by Mr. 

 J. Bi-acebridge Wilson. 



Lord Walsingham has presented a fine series of Lepidoptera (Sphinges and Bombyces), 

 collected by the Rev. J. H. Hocking, chiefly in the Kangra district. West Himalaya. 



Mrs. Carpenter has presented an important series of microscopic preparations of 

 Foraminifera, prepared and described by the late Dr. W. B. Carpenter. 



The Library has been enriched by the presentation by the Earl of Crawford of a copy 

 of De Bry's rare and important collection of Voyages. 



The President and Council of the Royal Society have also given a number of useful 

 books, duj^licates from their library. 



Exchanges of specimens have been eff^ected with the following institutions and 

 individuals : — 



Of Zoological Specimens — With the Museo-Civico, Genoa; the Senkenbergische 

 Museum, Frankfort ; Professor W. K. Parker; the Tokio Educational Museum, Japan ; 

 and St. Petersburg Museum. 



Of Fossils — With the Street Museum; the Canterbury Museum, New Zealand; Mr. 

 Clerainshaw ; and Sir Julius van Haast. 



Of Mineralogical Specimens — With Dr. L. Eger, of Vienna; Mr. H. B. Medlicott, of 

 Calcutta ; the Di'esden Mineralogical Museum ; Professor J. W. Judd ; and the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, Washington. 



Of Botanical Specimens — With the Museum of Natural History, Paris ; the University 

 of North Dakota ; Professor McCoun, of Ottawa; New College, Edinburgh; and the 

 York Museum. 



Duplicate specimens from the British Museum, collection have been presented by the 

 Trustees to the Museum of Science and Art, Edinburoh, the Dublin Museum of Science 

 and Art, the Museum of Charterhouse School, and Oxford University Museum. 



The following Guide-books have been published during the year: — 



Guide to the Gallery of Reptilia in the Department of Zoology of the British 

 Museum (Natural History). 22 Woodcuts and 1 Plan. 8vo. 2d. 



Guide to the Exhibition Galleries of the Department of Geology and Palaeontology, 

 British Museum (Natural Histoi-y). New Edition. Woodcuts. Table of stratified rocks. 

 Plan of Geological Galleries. 8vo. 4 d. 



The Students' Index to the Collection of Minerals, British Museum (Natural History). 

 New Edition. 8vo. 2 d. 



An Introduction to the Study of Meteorites, with a List of the Meteorites represented 

 in the Collection. [With a Plan of the Mineral Gallery, and an Index to the Meteorites 

 represented in the Collection.] 8vo. 2 d. 



A General Guide to the British Museum (Natural History). With Plans and a view 

 of the Building, 8vo. 2 d. 



0.64. G 4 The 



