E.—7

8

jects on exhibition. This number includes a native bat (Mystacops tuberculatus), our only endemic land-mammal; a pair of large strap-shaped teeth of Mesoplodon, which have been mounted so as to show their peculiar disposition in the jaws. Fourteen new fishes, including the cast of Regalecus ; a new species of Torpedo (Astrape), recently described by Mr. Hamilton ; a pouched lamprey (Geotria) from Pelorus Valley; and a native lancelet. Six mollusca, in alcohol, including several midibranchs, new to science, named for me by the expert Dr. R. Bergh, of Copenhagen, to whom I sent a collection of these animals. Six members of the group Arthropoda, including a pair of long-legged spider-crabs (Paramithrax), new to science, and recently described by Mr. George M. Thomson. Of Vermes the most important is a true leech (Hirudo antipodum), the first of its kind to be obtained in this colony, and described by me in the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." A 2. A collection of thirteen specimens belonging to various groups of animals collected in the Antarctic seas during the expedition of the " Southern Cross," and presented to the Museum by Sir George Newnes. A3. Foreign Zoology. —About twenty new specimens have been added, including some interesting deep-sea sponges from the Japanese seas, received in exchange from Dr. Bashford Dean. A stuffed specimen of one of the smaller anthropoid apes (Hylobates). A handsome prize Langshan cock, presented by Mrs.-H. Buckland, has been added to our series of domestic varieties of fowl. A series of tadpoles of the golden tree-frog (Hyla), which were collected by one of my pupils, shows the whole course of metamorphosis. Figures, coloured and plain, of various invertebrates, which lose their colour in alcohol, have been placed in the case. B. Palaeontology. —At present this subject is scarcely represented in the Museum ; but more important fossils are placed amongst the zoological specimens, and a dozen New Zealand fossils have been added, including a series of graptolites from Nelson, presented by Mr. Hamilton ; and a fine nautiloid, by the same ; and in the foreign series, six fossil crinoids. C. Ethnology. —The accommodation in the Museum is,'of course, inadequate to allow more than a small number of objects to be exhibited, and this is unfortunate, for to the ordinary visitor this department is of considerable interest. And it is a remarkable fact that, although a good number of our citizens have visited our new possessions and other islands in the Pacific, we have no ethnological specimens from these islands. In 1902 Mrs. Gillies generously deposited in the Museum a considerable collection of objects from New Guinea and elsewhere. Of these I have selected twenty-five for exhibition in the case containing the donations of the late Rev. Chalmers, and a few others from the New Hebrides have also been placed on view. I have added a very good specimen of canoe and its fittings, from Niue (Savage Islands), which I purchased. A small case showing a number of palaeolithic implements from various parts of the world has been placed near the case of Maori stone weapons. This new case includes Tasmaniau implements presented by the Hobart Museum, and a number of Indian stone implements presented by Mr. Seton-Karr. Remounts, &c. —A considerable number of zoological specimens have been replaced by better examples, or have been remounted so as to display them in a better manner. In addition to the four hundred and fifty molluscan shells, some thirty-five species of our native fish have been remounted, and a number of invertebrates, both local and foreign. A very fine skeleton of the smooth dogfish and the skull of the porbeagle shark, prepared by the gelatine method, have been added. In order to properly protect the valuable bird (Notornis) deposited by the Government in my care, I have had a very strong plate-glass case made. This is provided with curtains of American cloth, so that the bird is protected from the light. In this case two very rare, if not extinct, birds have also been placed. General. The above refers only to work connected with the exhibition of specimens, but a considerable number of natural-history objects has been presented to the Museum by various people in different parts of Otago and Southland. In many instances the donor asks me to supply the name and some information about it, and in each case I acknowledge the gift. Each object as it is received is entered in a register, and a number affixed to it; for in the case of insects and other invertebrates it is not possible to give a name at once without a considerable amount of trouble in searching the literature. The number, however, which the object carries corresponds with that in the register, where are recorded the donor, the locality, any special feature about it, and the room in which it is stored. I keep four registers : A, for New Zealand zoology ; B, for foreign zoology ; C, for palaeontology, petrology, and mineralogy ; D, for ethnology and miscellaneous. Each object, then, has an initial letter, with the year-number ; and in each year the series of numbers commences afresh, so that, for example, a specimen labelled C.02.52 indicates that it was obtained in 1902, and by turning up the register C all details about it can be seen in a minute. Thus a good deal of clerical work falls to my lot apart from the tedious task of writing a label in printing script for every specimen exhibited. In days to come we may hope that a small printing-press will be obtained for the latter purpose. Summary of Acquisitions during the Year 1902-3. A. Local Fauna.—Two hundred and seventy-eight specimens have been received, registered, and stored. Some of these have been placed on exhibition, others are stored for future research, for exchange, and for students' work. Most of the groups of. the lower animals of New Zealand still require investigation. Only a tithe or even less are named, and one function of a museum is to accumulate representatives of the different groups, and to send them to experts in New Zealand or elsewhere for investigation. This storage of specimens necessitates the use of bottles, jars, tubes, and preservatives. Of the 278 specimens, some have been collected by myself and by the taxidermist; others have been presented by a variety of people scattered over the Island. B. Foreign Zoology. —About thirty-three specimens have been obtained, either by exchange or purchase, partly for museum and partly for class purposes.