^8 ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The most important acquisitions were the following: — ■ 



1. Of the collections made during the voyage of H.M.S. " Challenger," and presented 

 by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, the following were received in 1888: — 



(a.) Two hundred and thirty-eight specimens of Mollusca. 



[b.) Two thousand three hundred and fifteen Crustacea {Macrura axx^ Anomura). 



(c.) One hundred and thirty-seven specimens of ComntulidcB. 



id.) Three hundred and eighteen specimens of Tetractinellid Sponges. 



(e.) Ninety-seven specimens of Hydrozoa. 



2. A collection from Christmas Island, consisting of eleven Mammals, twenty-three 

 Birds, eleven Keptiles, forty-eight Land shells, two Crustaceans, thirty-seven Spiders 

 and Myriopods, and one hundred and forty-two Insects. The specimens were collected 

 and presented by J. J. Lister, Esq., who accompanied H.M.S. " Egeria," under the 

 command of Captain Aldridge, on her visit to this island in the year 1888. The interest 

 attached to an exploration of this island has been already noticed in the Report for 

 1887 (page 55). 



3. A collection from the Island of Dominica, consisting of nine Mammals, twenty-five 

 Birds, forty-one 3ie[>tile8, fifteen Batrachians, eighty-eight Molluscs, one hundred and eight 

 Crustacea, and twenty Spiders and Myriopods ; presented by the Royal Society and 

 British Association. This collection was made by Mr. S. A. Ramage, a gentleman 

 engaged by a Joint Committee of the Royal Society and the British Association for the 

 exploration of the Fauna and Flora of the Lesser Antilles. 



4. A collection of Land and Marine animals from Fernando Noronha, containing thirty- 

 five Birds, twenty-two Reptiles, one hundred and forty Fishes, two hundred and four 

 Molluscs, one hundred and forty-nine Crustaceans, sixty-eight Sj^tiders and Myriopods, 

 two hundred and ninety-one Insects, forty-five Sponges, fifteen Corals, thirty-five 

 Hydrozoa ; presented by the Royal Society. This collection was made by Mr. 

 H. N. Ridley, formerly an assistant of the Botanical Department, and Mr. S. A. Ramage, 

 under direction of the Royal Society. 



5. A valuable series of Marine animals from the West Coast of Scotland, consisting of 

 three hundred and seventeen Fisbes, four hundred and nine Molluscs, five hundred and 

 fifty Crustaceans, thirty-two Worms, four hundred and eleven Echinoderms, ninety -five 

 Sponges, eighty-three Anthozoa, ninety-four Hydrozoa, one hundred and eighteen 

 Polyzoa; presented by Dr. J. Murray, v.p.R.s.E. These specimens were received as a 

 further instalment of the collections made by Dr. J. Murray, as noticed in the Report of 

 the previous year (page 56). 



6. A collection of one hundred and four skulls of ancient Egyptians, taken from 

 Mummy Tombs, and obtained by the Egyptian Exploration Committee ; presented by 

 W. M. Flinders Petrie, Esq. 



7. A collection of eleven thousand North American Birds made by tte North American 

 Ornithologists, Messrs. Henshaw and Merriam (shortly referred to as " Henshaw Col- 

 lection," on page 57) ; it was purchased by F. Du Cane Godman, Esq., F.R.S., in order 

 to supplement the hitherto very incomplete series of North American Birds, and pre- 

 sented by him to the Trustees. 



8. The fourth instalment of the Salvin-Godman collection of birds, referred to in the 

 Report for 1885. This series consists of 5,331 specimens, and includes sixty-nine types 

 and two hundred and twenty-three species new to the collection ; presented by Osbert 

 Salvin, Esq., F.E.S., and F. Du Cane Godman, Esq., F.E.S. 



9. The collection of Tyrannidse and Cotingidse formed by P. L. Sclater. Esq., F.R.8., 

 containing 1,718 specimens, and including one hundred and sixteen types, and forty-six 

 species new to the collection ; purchased. 



10. Two thousand one hundred and eleven land and fresh-water Shells (all named) from 

 the Indian region. This series comprises a selection from Mr. W. Theobald's collection 

 of Indian Mollusca. It contains a large number of species and several genera new to the 

 Museum, many of the specimens being either types or figured examples ; purchased. 



11. Eight hundred and seventy-four specimens of Coleoptera from the Hawaiian Islands, 

 being a selection from the collection of the Rev. T. Blackburn. This series contains three 

 hundred and thirty-four type specimens and four hundred and nineteen out of the four 

 hundred and twenty-eight known species from these Islands, and is of special interest as 

 with the progress of cultivation many of the Indigenous Insects disappear, and are partly 

 replaced by others which are introduced from other parts of the globe ; purchased. 



MammaNa.~The additions to this class during the past year were 700, of which the 

 following are the most noteworthy : — 



The skull of an Ancient Briton from Bradford, Northumberland ; presented by Canon 

 W. Greenwell. 



The 



