ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 57 



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

 and female of the recently discovered Hunter's Antelope (Daimdis hunteri) ; a 

 Thomson's Gazelle (Gazella thomsoni) ; three skins and a skeleton of Marco Polo's 

 Sheep; a skin and skeleton of the Yangtsekiang Vor-poise (Keovie vis 2Jhoc(enoirhs); 

 also skeletons of a Lion (Fells leo) ; a Poitou Donkey (Equus asinius) ; and a Rock}- 

 Mountain Goat (Haploceros viontanus). 



The addition of twenty-one cabinets to the Bird-room has permitted of a large 

 portion of the Bird-collection being removed from the store-cases in which they had 

 been stowed away. The Parrots, Pigeons, Game Birds, and Rails have thus been 

 placed under conditions under which they are accessible, and arranged in a pre- 

 liminary manner. 



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

 Birds comprise the following : — Montagu's Harrier, Crossbill, Swallow, and Siskin. 



For the Reptile and Fish Galleries have been mounted an example of the Chinese 

 Alligator (Alligator sinensis); the large Indian Basking Shark, from Ceylon 

 (Rhinodon typicws); a very large Saw-fish (Pristis 'perrofeti) from Demerara, and 

 several examples of Sword-fishes and Sharks from Muscat. 



Special care had to be taken in the conservation of the series of typical examples 

 received from the "Challenger" Commission; some 4,000 specimens delivered during 

 the past year had to be placed into stoppered bottles, the majority of which, besides, 

 are so closed as to reduce the evaporation of the spirits to a minimum. 



A fine example of the remarkable Squid from the Mediterranean (Cheiroteuthis 

 veranyi), a Carinuria, and a few other remarkable Mollusks have been placed on 

 exhibition. The series of shells illustrating monstrosities of growth resulting from 

 various causes, the collection of sections of shells to show their internal structure, 

 and the series of boring and pearl-forming Mollusca, have been mounted on fresh 

 tablets and re-labelled. 



The following specimens have been placed in the Insect Gallery : — A series of 

 woods, showing the injuries done to forest trees by various Coleoptera, from Prussia; 

 two specimens of the Cocoa-nut Crab (Biryus latro) ; a Rock Lobster (Falinurus 

 lalandu) ; a White Ants' Nest, from Singapore ; three nests of a gregarious cater- 

 pillar from Madagascar ; a nest of a Tree-ant (C rematogaster), from South Africa ; 

 the nest of a Humble Bee (Bomhus pratoruvi); formed in the nest of a Linnet, from 



Sussex. 



A new case for Echinoderms in the British Gallery having been completed, suitable 

 specimens were mounted and arranged therein. 



A larcce Luidia, probably the largest known, has been mounted in a special case in 

 the Starfish Gallery ; examples of gigantic earthworms, from South Africa, Victoria, 

 and Ceylon, have also been mounted and exhibited. In the Coral Gallery fine 

 examples of Pleur o cor allium johnsoni, of Juncella and Araehnopathes, have been 

 mounted for exhibition ; also some Alcyonarians, from the " Challenger" collections, 

 have been added to this Gallery ; and a series of figures illustrating the morphology 

 of the Anthozoa has been commenced. 



IV. — Duplicdtes. 



Three hundred and ten birds were selected for the Museum of Mexico, in exchange 

 for specimens of Mammalia required for the collection; and a small number of 

 duplicates of batrachians, reptiles, fishes, and insects have also been used in exchange 

 with various museums. 



V. — Departrtiental Library. 



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

 87 works, in 107 volumes, besides 477 new numbers of periodicals and works in 

 proo-ress, in addition to which, 90 works have been transferred, as duplicates, from 

 +l>p''T,ibra,rv at Bloomsburv- The total number of works now in the Library is 



the Library at Bloomsburj. 

 9,666, represented by 15,440 



All the additions during une yca.j nave ucci. ^^.^^.^^. ... v.v ^ ...-^..^.^^ 

 catalogued, press-marked, stamped, and placed ; 104 volumes have been bound. 



9,666, represented by 15,440 volumes. , • , ti , t, , 



All the additions during the year have been entered in the Purchase Book, 



V I . — Catalogues. 

 The following Catalogues have been issued during the year 1S89 :— 



1. Catalogue of the Chelonians, Rhynchocephalians, and Crocodiles (8vo. 311 pp., 

 6 plates, and numerous woodcuts), by G. A. Boulenger. 



2. Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera, Part VII. (4to, 

 124 pp., 18 plates), by A. G. Butler. _ ^ ^. • , . .i d- i n n * 



In addition to the above works, the manuscripts of a Guide to the Bird Gallery, ot 

 two more volumes of the " Catalogue of Birds," and of a " Catalogue of Snakes," are 

 in course of preparation, and three volumes of the " Catalogue of Birds " were m the 

 press before the close of the year. 



0.74. H The 



