A. C. L. G. G anther. 



xxi 



Macruridse, Sternoptychidpe, Scopelidse, Stomiatidte, and Mursenidse, besides 

 the Alepocephalidse, and the Halosauridse, which have no representatives in 

 the surface-fauna. He shows that the abundance and variety of fish-life 

 decreases as the depth increases, and that the uniformity of the physical 

 characters of the sea-bottom gives rise to the almost unlimited horizontal 

 distribution of deep-sea fishes, so that the same genera and even the same 

 species may occur in the depths of the eastern, western, northern, and southern 

 hemispheres. 



The whole of this fine work teems with novelties in the structure of the 

 remarkable forms so carefully dealt with by the author, and which were 

 graphically illustrated by the brothers Miutern. 



One of the most interesting labours was his final one on the History 

 of the Zoological Department of the British Museum from the year 1856 to 

 the year 1895, when G-iinther retired from active service, and which was 

 published by the Trustees at the end of 1912. This record of 39 years' 

 experience of the National Collection is told with great accuracy and rare 

 modesty, and perhaps more than any other evidence testifies to the zeal, 

 perseverance, and popularity of the Keeper — even under circumstances not 

 always conducive to progress. The increased grant, from £1100 to £1500 

 per annum, during this period enabled the Keeper to effect greater uniformity 

 in the growth of the branches of the collections, and to follow Dr. Gray's plan 

 of forming a study-series as well as an exhibition-series. The collections in 

 1856 were well arranged in cases, and the specimens were clean and well 

 preserved, whilst the richness in rare types made the Museum even then not 

 behind those on the Continent. Those who knew the collections at the 

 former date, however, can appreciate the vast changes which were inaugurated 

 in such departments as the mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes, as well as in 

 the invertebrates in general — especially during the period of Dr. Giinther's 

 keepership. Whilst he laboured at the specimens and catalogues himself, he 

 also encouraged others in the same field. Thus the catalogues on almost every 

 group of note made considerable progress. 



The labours during his keepership (1875-95) may be dealt with under the 

 following heads : — 



1. The Increase and Arrangement of the Collections. — The appointment of 

 Dr. Gii.ii the r as Keeper in 1875 was followed by a great increase in the 

 collections generally, by such additions as those of the " Transit of Venus " 

 Expeditions, the Arctic Expedition, collections by naval officers, the 

 " Challenger " collections, the Bowerbank collection of Sponges, the Gould 

 collection of Birds, the Godman and Salvin collections of Birds, the Hewitson 

 collection of Exotic Butterflies, the collections from the East India Company's 

 Museum, collections from the International Fisheries' Exhibition of 1883, 

 Zeller's Microlepidoptera, the Hume collection of Birds, Godman and Salvin's 

 American Birds, the Tweeddale collection of Birds and Works, the Wal- 

 singham collection of Lepidoptera, the Godman North American Birds, the 

 Day collection of Indian and other Fishes, the Keyserling Arachnids, the 



