^4 ACCOUNTS, &C. OK THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The incorporation of the " Tweeddale," " Hume," " Salvin-Godman," and " Seebohm" 

 collections of birds has been proceeded with, and the arrangement in the cabinets com- 

 pleted as far as the end of the Passeres and PicaricB. 



The revision of the Chelonians and Crocodiles has been completed. 



The collection of Chihpoda has been under re-arrangement, and a MS. list of the 

 specimens is in course of preparation. 



Progress has been made with the arrangement of certain groups of insects. The 

 re-arrangement of the collection of Phasmidas (Stick Insects) has been completed, and 

 that of the Blattida (Cockroaches) commenced. The Coleopteraof the family BnstrichidoB 

 have been re-arranged, and the genera and a number of species determined. The Central 

 American lluprestida of the genus Agrilus have been determined, and the new sjjeciea 

 described. The re-arrangement of the Longicorn Beetles of the family LamiidcB has been 

 continued, and nearly completed. The greater part of the "Chevrolat'" collections, as 

 well as other smaller and less important series, have been incorporated. 



The large collection of Indian Lepidoptera, purchased of the Rev. J. H. Hocking, has 

 been worked out, described and incorporated, and progress has been made with the incor- 

 poration of the " Zeller " collection of moths. 



The manuscript lists of Ecliinoids, Holothurians and Ophinrids have been kept up to 

 date, and one of Crinoids has been commenced. 



The study-collection of dried Crinoids and Asteroids has been re-arranged with a view 

 of increasing the disposable space. 



The arrangement of the specimens and models of Protozoa in the Coral-Gallery has 

 been completed, and illustrated with a series of instructive diagrams. 



II. — Registration. 



All the specimens obtained during the year, whether by purchase or presentation, 

 have been entered in the IVl S. registers of accessions, and the register-number attached to 

 them. For future reference the date and mode of acquisition, the exact locality where 

 the specimens were obtained, the name of the collector, and any other ymrticulars of 

 interest respecting them are entered. Only a small portion (922 specimens) of the 

 remainder of the "Hume" collection, viz. the TrogonidoB and Capitonidce have been 

 registered. This work has been interrupted by the registration of 12,100 specimens of 

 the " Tweeddale," and 5,331 of the " Salvin-Godman" collections. 



HI. — Conservation. 



The ordinary necessary work of conservation has been performed as in previous years, 

 by dusting and cleaning in rotation the exhibited specimens ; placing the registered 

 collections of Bird-skins, Shells, dried Sponges, Echinoderms, and Polyzoa in ^ilasa-topped 

 boxes, and renewing the camphor in the wall-cases, store-cabinets, and insect-drawers, 

 and the spirit of the collections preserved in alcohol. 



The following specimens of Mammalia have been mounted for exhibition: — AnoldEnglish 

 Mastiff {Canisfainiliaris); a Rein-deer {Rangifer taravduR); a Yang-tse Dolphin (iVeomem 

 phoccBiioides) ; skeletons of an Akka woman from Central Africa ; of an Aye-Aye 

 ( Chiromya madagascarieiisis) ; of an American Tapir ( Tapirus terrestrial ; of a Wood-buck 

 {Cep/iotophus sylv'icultrix); and of a white-beaked Dolphin {Lagpuorhynchus albirostris). 



The additions to the series of groups illustrating the nesting-habits of British Birds 

 comprise the following: — Pied Flycatcher, Common Bunting, Wryneck, Black Game, 

 Eed-necked Phalarope, Kittiwake, Common Tern, Merganser, Gannet and Guillemot. 



A number of skeletons of Reptiles have been mounted or prepared, and many specimens 

 ^Fishes from the valuable collection presented by Surgeon Major Jayakar have been 

 mounted and placed in the Fish Gallery. 



A selected series of the shells acquired during the year, also a series of "Comet- 

 forms "' of Starfishes, and a good set of variations of Archaster typicus have been mounted 

 on tablets and placed on exhibition in the table-cases. 



The exhibited collection oi Polyzoa has been removed from the wall-case at the West 

 end of the Coral Gallery, remounted in glass-topped boxes, and placed on exhibition in 

 table-cases. 



The following specimens have been placed in the Insect Gallery : — Two large Crabs 

 {Psfvdocarcinus gigas), a small numbei- of Spiders' nests, the nest of a gregarious cater- 

 pillar {Eriogaster lanestris) from Norfolk, a nest of a South African Moth {Anaphe 

 po7ida), some combs of a small Indian honey-bee {Apisjloratis), a fine nest of a Termes 

 found in a bush near Pernambuco, and a piece of Ash from Dillon Park containing the 

 larvae and perfect beetle of Dorcus, 



In 



