EEPORT OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 417 



the name to be withheld. Of the value and interest of this 

 collection your Committee can only say that it is such, that it is 

 not equalled in any Museum in the kingdom, and the Society is 

 to be congTatulated in possessing such a collection. 



As an indication of the value of Mr. Atthey's collection, it has 

 been consulted by Dr. Traquair, of Edinburgh, who is engaged 

 on a work on Fossil Fishes. 



During the past year many interesting additions have been 

 made to the collections, some of which may be specially mentioned. 



Through the exertions of Mr. John Hancock, a fine and vei7 

 large specimen of the great Japanese Crab, InacJms Kmmpferi, 

 was procured for the Society by Captain St. John, E.N. This 

 specimen has been prepared by Mr. Hancock to whom the thanks 

 of the Society are due. 



Through the instrumentality of Mr. W. J. Barkas, late of this 

 town-, a specimen of the peculiar Australian fish, Ceratodus 

 Forsteri, has been procured for the Museum. This is a most in- 

 teresting addition to our collection, as it closely resembles the 

 Coal-Measure fish, Ctenodus. 



Mr. T. P. Barkas, F.G.S., has presented a large cranium of 

 Loxomma Allmani, from the Northumberland Coal-Measures. 



Two skins of the Kakapo {Strigops hahropihis), from New 

 Zealand, have been kindly presented by Mr. William Nesham, 

 and six specimens of the beautiful Glass-rope Sponge (Ifi/alonema 

 mirahilis), from Japan, have been presented by Mr. J. Blcchyu- 

 den, Essex Street, Newcastle. 



Mr. Bluke of London has also examined the Fossil Ccphalopods 

 in the Museum for a work on which he is engaged under the aus- 

 pices of the Royal Society. 



Before closing this lleport your Committee liavo mucli pleasure 

 in stating that there is a prospect of tlie Society being placed in 

 a position to provide a new building for tlie accommodation of 

 your collections, a few gentlemen liaviiig come forward most gene- 

 rously to support the project with a large portion of the funds. 



Your Committee hope shortly to place the matter in a more 

 tangible form before the Society. 



