7

E.—-8

Museum.

During the past year exchanges have been completed with the Museums at Brisbane and Sao Paulo, Brazil; also with the British Museum, Mr. W. L. Williams, of Tasmania, and Mr. W. D. Webster, of Oxford. Steady progress has been made in the printing of labels. A considerable number of photographs have been taken for other museums and private collectors, and this branch of museum work has proved most useful. Geological Booms. —The only addition during the year is a collection of fossils from Patagonia, received in exchange for New Zealand fossils. This collection is a very interesting one, as it contains several species which are also found in New Zealand. Natural History Booms. —Nothing of importance has been added to these rooms, but the whole collection has been carefully gone over by the taxidermist, and appears to be in good condition. Ethnological Boom. —The most important addition is a collection of objects from Benin City, including a large bronze placque with two figures, from the King's Palace, obtained by purchase ; also four very old Burmese Buddhas, found in a cave near Maulmain, presented by Captain James Wilson. Eight carved wooden masks and two large wooden figures from Japan, as well as a small collection of objects from the Solomon Islands, were purchased. Others from New Guinea and Fiji, as well as some stone implements from Tasmania and a goose-neck boomerang from Queensland, have been received in exchange. Archaeological Boom. —The additions are fragments of prehistoric pottery from Japan, and stone implements from India, Somaliland, Ireland, and the Island of Hayti, all obtained by exchange. Casts of the Twelve Apostles from the shrine of St. Sebald at Nuremberg were presented by Miss Mountfort. New Zealand Booms. —A new case for the smaller Cetaceans has been put up, and the mammals rearranged. The skeleton of the sea-elephant mentioned in the last report has been mounted and placed in a glass case, and those of the larger whales have been improved by the addition of artificial cartilages. The skeletons of the Maori and Moriori have been remounted, and several of New Zealand birds have been prepared. A very important addition is a collection of extinct birds from the Chatham Islands. Skeletons of the swan and the coot were presented by Mr. J. J. Fougere, and that of the Chatham Island crow was obtained by exchange. Of invertebrates, a further collection of New Zealand insects was presented by the late Mr. Herbert Clark, and Mr. H. Suter has given a collection of Phasmida. and many rare shells. A rare Antipathorian from the North Cape was presented by Mr. E. M. Laing, and a number of mosses by Mr. R. Brown, these being co-types of his new species. A black sandstone, showing the impression of the foot of a kiwi-like bird, was sent by Mr. H. Wynn-Williams, from Manaroa, in the Pelorus, and Mr. E. D. Thomas enriched the mineral collection with a large slice of nephrite, showing the process of decomposition. The only additions to the Maori collections are some stone adzes and a gourd water-bottle, which formerly belonged to Tawhiao, the Maori King, presented by Mr. A. Aldridge; also an old Maori apear, found in a cave at Purau, presented by Mr. John Harris. Library. —ln addition to the usual presentations from museums, scientific societies, and foreign Governments, the following books have been presented: " Nature versus Natural Science," by the Eev. C. C. Coe ; " Travels among the Todas," and plates from Humboldt's " Monograph of the Melastomacese," by Mr. C. J. Mountfort; Fison and Howitt's " Kamilaroi and Karmi," and Turner's " Samoa," by Professor Mathew ; Saunders's "British Hymenoptera Aculeata " and " Hemiptera Heteroptera," Edwards's "British Hemiptera Homoptera," Macquart's " Dipteres Exotiques," Theobald's " British Flies," Marshall's "British Braconidae," Holmgren's " Ichneumenologia Suecica " and his " Ophionse Suecica," and Buxton's "Natural History of Eristalis Tenax," by the Curator. Batzel's " History of Mankind," Part 11., and Sharpe's "Birds of Paradise," Parts VII. and VIII., have been purchased. Miscellaneous. —A very interesting relic was presented by Mr. T. Scott—viz., part of the colours of the 58th Regiment carried in the Egyptian campaign in 1801 and in the Peninsula War ; also several old English newspapers, among them being accounts of the battles of Alma, Balaclava, and Inkerman. These were given by Mr. J. P. Wandt. An oil painting, by Van Meyhm, of the Canterbury Cup, 1878, was presented by Mr. E. Wilson. It is valuable not as a work of art, but as a record of former days. School of Act. Attendance. —As compared with 1897 the numbers have been as follows:— 1897: Morning—First term, 32 ; second term, 39; third term, 31. Evening—First term, 101; second term, 89; third term, 93. Saturday—First term, 97; second term, 88; third term, 93. Friday afternoon (wood-carving)— First and second terms, nil ; third term, 6. 1898 : Morning—First term, 34 ; second term, 35 ; third term, 33. Evening—First term, 98; second term, 103; third term, 102. Saturday—First term, 84; second term, 86; third term, 93. Friday afternoon (wood-carving) —First term, 3; second term, 8 ; third term, 6. Work. —Life classes have been held as follows: Draped—Monday and Friday, 10 to 1 (morning); 7to 9 (evening). Nude—Monday and Thursday, 2to 5 and 10 to 1 (morning); Wednesday, 7 to 9 (evening). The students have drawn and painted from the bust and full figure in various mediums. The drawings from the full figure have again been particularly good, being executed in red and black chalk. A class for the lady students for the study of the full figure was established last year, and so far the attendance has justified it, though it is difficult to get satisfactory models. Elementary Drawing and Painting. —Second-grade work, comprising freehand, model, geometry, and perspective, and in addition drawing and painting from the cast of ornament and antique and from still life have been taught in the morning, evening, and Saturday classes,