714 The Report on the British Museum for 1909. 
XXXIII.— The Report on the British Museum for 1909 *. 
We have received a copy of the official Report on the British 
Museum for the year 1909, which contains a statement of 
the progress effected in the arrangement and description of 
the collections in the Natural History Museum at South 
Kensington, and an account of the additions made to it in 
that year. 
It is stated that preparations illustrating the classification 
of Birds have been added to the exhibited series, and we 
may call special attention to the specimens of the structure 
of the Order Ratitse, which are exhibited in the first com¬ 
partment on the right-hand side of the entrance to the 
Bird-Gallery. It will be observed that the Tinamous are 
placed in that Order here. 
The mounted series of Birds exhibited in the British 
Saloon has now been completed, and this, we are told, is 
largely due to the generosity of Mr. Rowland Ward, who has 
presented beautifully mounted examples of a large number 
of species. 
The mounting of the series in the General Gallery has also 
been continued, and the old and faded specimens of the fol¬ 
lowing families have been replaced by finely mounted examples, 
the work of Mr. Rowland Ward :— Galbutidce , Bucconidce , and 
a considerable number of Dendrocolaptine Birds. The Gould 
Collection of Humming-Birds, with the exception of the 
cases on the main staircase, has been removed from the East 
Corridor to the Vestibule leading from the Central Hall to 
the Fish Gallery. The vestibule has been fitted with shelves 
for the reception of smaller cases, and the whole series is in 
course of being re-labelled on a new and improved plan. 
New and revised editions of the f Guide to the Gallery of 
Birds J and f Guide to the Nesting Series of British Birds 9 
have been published. Much assistance has been received 
from Mr. David A. Bannerman, who has spent many weeks 
naming, registering, labelling, and incorporating specimens. 
* For an account of tlie Report for 1908, see 1 Ibis/ 1909, p. 691. 
