Ixxxiv PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
of the Reference Bird Collections. The collection of birds which 
we received from Ecuador more than fills the accommodation already 
provided. 
The arrangement of the Fish Case is now almost complete, 
although we still lack some of the rarer forms, as well as several 
anatomical preparations, which, however, I hope to secure soon. 
The series embraced in this case comprises those intermediate forms 
which were formerly included in the Invertebrata, but which are 
now recognised to have vertebrate affinities, and also certain true 
vertebrate forms of the simplest type, in addition to the fishes proper, 
the latter ranging from the lower or cartilaginous forms to the 
higher or bony fishes. A few of the more important fossil forms are 
represented, drawings of restorations being placed beside the speci¬ 
mens to show the original character of the fish. 
The cabinets under Table Cases A and B have been fitted with 
interchangeable trays of various depths, similar to those already 
described. In these are arranged the Reference Invertebrate 
Collections. 
The Museum is indebted to the President for the most valuable 
and timely gift of the whole of his Shell Collections. These com¬ 
prise an almost complete series of the British Marine and British 
Land and Fresh-water species ; together with an extensive series of 
foreign shells, the whole representing the labour of many years. 
Indeed, the President has told me that he began the study of shells 
as a boy. The gift is subject to only one restriction, namely, that 
the British species are to be kept by themselves, as a distinct 
collection, but we are at liberty to make any additions to the 
collection that may be in our power, so as to complete the series. 
Regarding the foreign shells, we have a free hand, and they have 
therefore been incorporated in our Index series, giving us a fairly 
typical collection. This has enabled me to proceed with the 
arrangement of the Exhibition Shell Case, in Table-case H, at the 
north end of the Museum. In this series we have endeavoured to 
exhibit the characteristic form of shell in each Family, but in those 
families where there is much variation of type two or more examples 
are given. They are arranged according to the classification given 
in the Cambridge Natural History. 
The number of visitors to the Museum during the year ended 
28th February, 190T, was 19,156. It is gratifying to see the 
increasing interest taken in the Museum by school children. This 
is partly due to the institution of the Annual Essay Competition, 
which has also served to remove the impression which once prevailed 
in certain quarters that the Museum had been founded solely, or 
mainly, for the benefit of the Members of our Society. It has now 
come to be recognised that the Museum exists for the benefit of the 
whole community. 
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN. 
During the year the Library has been taken advantage of by 52 
eaders, and 189 volumes have been taken out. 
The number of volumes added by presentation was 242. Of 
