ACCOUNTS, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



dolphin from the Corrish coast {Delplnnus delphis). Also skeletons of the "West Indian 

 Seal (AIoTiackus fropicalis), Burchell's Zehra {Ecjuus burchelli), Eland (Oreas canna), Sable 

 and Roan An\e\oTpGS {Hippotragus niger and equinus), a Northern Fin-whale {Bulcenoptera 

 boreuLis), a male Killer {Orca gladiator), and two red Kangaroos {Macropus riifus). 



The series illustrating the nesting habits of British Birds has received the following 

 additions :— Jackdaw, Nuthatch, Sparrow, Pttirmigan, Capercaillie, Landrail, Kentish 

 Plover, Leir^ser Tern, Laughing Gull, Gadwall, and Puffin. 



The following Fishes have been mounted for exhibition : — Two Sun-fish (Lampris luna) 

 from the Northern British Seas ; four Sword-fish from Muscat {Hist'iophorus gladius and 

 7/. 6re?^2Vo.'.^rz5) ; a gigantic Sea-perch (Serranus gig as) from Muscat; a Shai-k from the 

 Orkneys {Nutidanvs griseus) ; a Ray {Rliynchohatus ancylostomus), from the Straits of 

 Malacca. 



The majority of the extensive series of shells of G astropoda and Lamellibranchiata 

 obtained by the " C'hallenger '' Expedition have been carefully mounted in glass-topped 

 boxes and incorporated with the study-series; but a selection of the most striking forms, 

 chiefly from very great depths, has been mounted upon tablets and exhibited in the public 

 show-cases. 



Owing to the crowded condition of the collections in the Spirit-building, it was found 

 necessary to remove the Mammalia, Mollusca and Tunicata, into the main building, in 

 order to make room for the incoming " Challenger " and other collections. Advantage 

 has been taken of this removal to change the spirit in all the bottles, and to secure the 

 contents of a certain number of them by covering the top with bladders. 



Specimens of Hohpus, Rhizocrinus, and Orcaster have been mounted and added to the 

 Starfish Gallery, of Astrovyx loveni and Funiculina cjuadrangularis, also a fine mass of 

 worm-tubes formed by Sahellaria alveolata to the series in the British Gallery. 



IV. — Duplicates. 



The following duplicates have been distributed : — 2,885 specimens of various orders to 

 Mason's College, Birmingham ; 822 to the Bristol Museum ; 245 to the Hawick Museum; 

 129 to the Hartley Institute, Southampton; and 322 to the Ladies' College, Cheltenham. 

 Thirty-two birds and three reptiles have also been disposed of in exchange with the 

 Museum of the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg ; nine reptiles with the Senckenberg 

 Museum, and eight with the Basle Museum. 



V. — Departmental Library, 



The Departmental Library has acquired, by purchase, presentation or exchange, 524 

 works, represented by 590 volumes or parts of volumes ; making the total number of 

 works now in the Library 8,492, or about 12,328 volumes. 



All the additions have been entered in the Purchase Book, catalogued, press-marked, 

 stamped, and placed ; 335 volumes have been bound. 



The " Tweeddale " Library has not yet been unpacked and catalogued, this work having 

 to be deferred, until cases can be provided for placing the books. 



VI. — Catalogups and Guide Books. 



The following Catalogues and Guides have been issued during the year 1887 : — 



1. " Catalogue of Lizards," Vol. III., containing the Laccrtidcs, Gerrhosaurid<B, 

 ScincidcB, AvelgtropidcB, Dihamidce, and C/iama^leontidcc (8vo., 575 pp., 40 plates), by 

 G. A. Boulenger. 



2. " Guide to the Galleries of Mammalia," 3rd edition (8vo., 125 pp., with 57 wood- 

 cuts and two plans). 



3. " A Guide to the Gould Collection of Humming Birds," new issue, 8vo. (22 pp., 

 Avith four woodcuts and one map). 



4. " Guide to the Galleries of Reptiles and Fishes " (8vo., 119 pp., with 101 woodcuts 

 and one plan). 



5. " Guirle to the Shell and Starfish Galleries " (8vo., 74 pp., with 51 woodcuts and 

 one plan). 



I» 



