534 Zoology. 



In 1858, when Dr. Giinther commenced the arrangement of 

 the general collection, it contained about 16,000 specimens, 

 including the Haslar collection of 1600, and the Yarrell collec- 

 tion of about 650. In 1870, at the completion of the catalogue, 

 the number had risen to 29,267, the increase having been at the 

 average rate of 1000 specimens a year, the greatest number of 

 accessions being received in the years 1860 (about 2000 specimens, 

 including the East India Company's Collection of 950 Fishes), 

 1862 (1700 additions) and 1867 (1900 additions). Since 1870, 

 the collection has increased at the rate of about 1275 specimens 

 a year, the greatest number added in any one year being 6130 

 in 1889, when the Day collection of about 4600 specimens was 

 received, and at the present day the total number of specimens 

 in the collection amounts to about 73,000. 



A Chronological Account of the Principal Accessions 

 to the Collection of Fishes. 



Prior to 1839 the British Museum received the collection of 

 Indian Fishes made by General Hardwicke, described and figured 

 in Dr. J. E. Gray's " Illustrations of Indian Zoology," published 

 in 1830-1832, and the Fishes collected in China by Mr. John 

 Reeves and his son during the years 1812-1831 were presented 

 to the Museum, together with a series of drawings by native 

 artists, forming the basis of Sir John Richardson's " Report on 

 the Ichthyology of China,' published in 1845. 



1839. 



Dr. R. Parnell presented a collection of Fishes from Scotch 

 rivers, including the types of the species described by him in his 

 essay " On the Fishes of the Firth of Forth." 



1844. 



A collection of Fishes, mostly representing species described 

 by Prof. Schlegel, was purchased from the Leyden Museum, and 

 the Lords of the Admiralty presented the collections made during 

 the voyage of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror, and H.M.S. Sulphur, 

 described by Sir John Richardson in his Reports, and containing 

 many types. 



