ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH Ml'SEUM. 51 



I. — Arrangement. 



The additions to the collections of Mammals, Reptiles, and Fishes have been entered in 

 the printed " Catalogues " as soon as they were examined and named. 



The systematic examination of the Marsupialia has been continued. Detailed descrip- 

 tions of the sj)ecies of PeramelidcE, Didelphyida and of the remainder of the DasyuridcB 

 have been drawn up. 



The incorporation of the Hume, Godman and Salvin, Tweeddale, Sclater & Seebohm 

 collections of birds has been steadily proceeded with, that of the " Tweeddale " collection 

 having been completed to the end of Vol IV. of the " Catalogue." In connection with 

 the work of arranging the collection of Birdy the continuous co-operation of Mr. 0. Salvin, 

 r.R.S., is of great help. The final re-arrangement of the Passerine Birds keeps pace with 

 the progress of the " Catalogue." 



Special attention has been devoted te the systematic arrangement of the Cheloninns. 



An instructive series of models in wax of the animals of some of the groups of Mollusca 

 has been added to the exhibited portion of the collection. 



The entire study collection of Poli/zna has been re-arranged, the genera of over 1,000 

 hitherto unnamed specimens having been determined and the specimens collected by 

 Her Majesty's Ship "Challenger" incorporated. 



The collection of dried and spirit specimens of ChiUpodn has been entirelv re-arranged 

 and to a great extent named up to date ; certain groups of Scorpionoidea have also been 

 re-arranged. 



Progress has been made in the arrangement of the general collection of Longicorn 

 Coleoptera of the family Lamudce, and a number of Phytophaga have been examined and 

 named preparatory to are-arrangement of this group. The re-airangement of the Hymen- 

 optera (f the group I'ormicida: has been commenced. The incorporation of the " Zeller" 

 collection has proceeded as far as the end of the family Nyctemeridce. The arrangement 

 of the Odonatn and the Mantidas has been completed, and progress has been made in the 

 re-arrangement of the Phasmidce. 



The examination of the EcLinoderms has been continued, a nominal list of all the species 

 and specimens of Holothurians has been completed, and a similar list of the Ophiurolds is 

 nearly finished. 



A new wall-case at the end of the Coral Gallery will be devoted to the exhibition of an 

 instructive series of Protozoa; fifteen large finished drawings of typical 'orms have been 

 prepared and mounted, and it is hoped that, with the kind assistance of Mr. H. B. Brady, 

 F.R.S. This exhibition series will be completed in the present year. 



A large collection of British Foraminifera, mounted, axranged, and presented by Mr. 

 H. B. Brady, F.R.S , has been exhibited in the British Iloom. 



The entire collection of Sponges in spirit has been re-arranged and labelled. 



II. — Registration. 



AH the specimens obtained during the year have been marked with the date of their 

 acquisition, and a separate number corresponding with an entry in the manuscript registers 

 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 renarding them, are entered. The registration of the Hume Collec- 

 tion has been proceeded with, 17,387 having been added to the total of 30,000 entered up 

 to the end of 1886. 



III. — Conservation. 



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

 rotation the exhibited specimens : placing the registered Bird- skins, iVIollusca and 

 Sponges in glass-topped boxes; and renewing the cam^jhor in the store-cabinets and 

 Insect-drawers, ;ind the spirit in the collection of wet preparations. Also the Avhole 

 collection of skins of -the study series of Mammalia has been carefully examined by 

 the taxidermist. 



The followino- specimens have been mounted for exhibition: — An entire specimen 

 and a head of the Sea-lion {Oloria juhata); the skm and skeleton of a Pigmy Hippo- 

 potamus {Hippopotamus hbcriensis); a Hoiiky Mo\n\\?Cm Vioax {Haploccrus montanus); a 

 banded Bush buck ( Cephnl-.phus dona); a Chamois from Transylvania {llupicapra tragus); 

 three Michie's deer {Elaphodes midiianus); a foetal Narwhal and its skeleton ; a common 



299. G 2 Dolphin 



