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Thornton, M.1.C.E.; and Mr. A. Fletcher, Melbourne. For the statuary room and picture gallery a few contributions were also received. From the Duke of Manchester his bust; from Mr. James Black an oil painting by T. Collins; and from Mr. Laning Coates, in Philadelphia, an oil painting portrait of G-eneral Washington by Samuel Mun. In Appendix A the list of exchanges received, and in Appendix B those sent to other museums, are given. A series of monkeys (stuffed) and of skins of rare eagles and pheasants, by purchase from England, and a series of New Zealand Coleoptera (types), were also bought. Scientific Work done at the Museum. —Being badly in want of assistance, I engaged temporarily Dr. W. Haacke, formerly assistant of Professor E. Haeckel in Jena, in the beginning of August, to prepare specimens for the Technological Museum, and to catalogue in the zoological and botanical departments, a task to which his former studies well qualified him. During the seven months he stayed at the Museum, —after which he received the appointment as Curator of the Adelaide Museum, South Australia, —the ticket catalogues of the mammals and birds, both foreign and New Zealand, New Zealand Crustacea, Bryozoa, Hydrozoa, and Echinodermata, were prepared by him. The rest of the botanical collections was received from Mr. T. Kirk, and the whole has now been arranged in six large cabinets, so that the students or any person wanting information can consult them. Being anxious to complete our collections from the moa-hunter encampments, Mr. W. Sparks went last August to Shag Point, Otago, making systematic excavations, with the assistance of a labourer, and brought a very large and valuable series back with him. The type collection of Coleoptera, obtained from Captain T. Broun, was augmented by a second set, and has already proved very valuable for reference also. Mr. R. "W. Fereday has during the past year continued his arduous task of preparing for the Museum a type collection of New Zealand Lepidoptera, and has made considerable advance therewith. Our best thanks are due to him for this labour of love. The number of birds set up during the year, and now exhibited in the show-cases, is seventy-two : amongst these are eight New Zealand birds, and the rest consist of foreign ones. Some fine eagles, two beautiful and rare pheasants from Central China, and the red bird of paradise are included in the latter. Two large fishes were set up, and about a dozen vertebrate skeletons. A great deal of the taxidermist's time has been taken up with other work, owing to the opening of the Technological Museum, and, in consequence, the rearrangement of some of the other rooms. Library. —Fifty-seven works and parts of works have been added to the Library, and it is to be regretted that no funds can be devoted to the purchase of works of reference, of which so many are urgently required. Technological Department. —Owing to various circumstances (the delay in the delivery of showcases, the leaking of the glass roof) the new room, intended for the Technological Museum, could only be opened on the 15th February to the public, but ever since it has been a great source of attraction to visitors, who find there both instruction and enjoyment in the examination of the various exhibits. In the high wall-cases the following arrangement has been pursued : In the first case —Mechanical powers, geometrical models and models illustrating mechanical motion. In the second case—Continuation of the mechanical motion, details of machinery, drainage, and irrigation. In the third caseSteam-, water-, and gas-power engines and metallurgical models, mining models, timbering of mines, laboratory vessels, models of bridges, and ship-building. In the fifth case —Models of timber construction and joinery, In the sixth case —Timber and stone construction, both in brick and freestone. The seventh and last wall-case has been devoted to art metal-work. The three large central cases, and a smaller one in the same room, contain specimens of ceramic art of all kinds, glass, enamels, repousse, and other work in metal. Textile fabrics and specimens, illustrating the manufactures of indiarubber, gutta-percha, and celluloid are in the same cases. In the desk-cases on both sides of the central rows the fine and extensive collections in illustration of metallurgy, both foreign and New Zealand, are exhibited, together with kauri gum, timber, and fibres. In other places the products of our gold fields, specimens of New Zealand timber, building stones, and many other objects of interest have been placed. School of Mines. —Also during this year valuable collections have been received for the teaching of mining and metallurgy, including several models and large series of specimens of minerals and ores. Further collections, made on our behalf by Professor yon Hochstetter, the Director-General of the Imperial Museum, Vienna, are on the way out. Another series of rare metals and precious stones is daily expected to arrive in Lyttleton, amongst the former a fine specimen of platinum, of osmium, iridium, and of iridosmium : of the former, a diamond in the matrix, from the South African mines The models illustrating the mining and metallurgical processes, and of which some more are expected, are, as before observed, placed in the high wall-eases in the technological room. Attendance. —The attendance of the public has during the last year been larger than ever before; but, having no automatic process to get authentic information, on various occasions—on week-dnys, public holidays, and on Sunday afternoons—l had the visitors counted. As, for instance, on last Queen's Birthday over 1,600 visitors entered the building ; on various Sunday afternoons the attendance, ranged between 600 and 1,200 ; on week days from 100 to 400. However, since the 18th June the instrument for the registration of visitors has been at work, giving the following numbers : Sunday, 18th June, 1,119 ; Monday, 19th, 135; Tuesday, 20th, 161; Wednesday, 21st, 385 ; Thursday, 22nd, 261; Friday, 23rd, 300; Saturday, 24th, 241 : thus giving for one week"a total of 2,608 visitors, which multiplied by 48 would give an annual total of 125,184 visitors. Considering that we are in midwinter, I do not think that the estimate is too high, but I believe it is below the actual number, which I have no doubt the next year's total will prove. Technological Museum and Picture Gallery Fund. —Owing to the fact that the fund available for current expenses, purchases, &c, during the year 1882 is far loss than for several years past, and that the International Exhibition now held in Christchurch would give ample opportunity to obtain valuable specimens for the Technological Museum, instead of addressing myself to one gentleman only (Mr. G-eorge Grould), or to the Philosophical Institute, as done on several occasions in previous years, I Ventured to address a circular to a number of gentlemen whom I thought might take an interest in the advancement of the public collections. You will observe that in my appeal I also included a picture