H,— 2l

Maori Collections. As stated, a fair proportion of the collections still remain in packing-cases. The Bollons Collection, however, has been unpacked, classified, and listed, while the work of classifying other Maori material also has been carried out. The principal additions by donations were made by Lady Kinsey, a large series of stone adzes, weapons, and ornaments ; Mrs. T. R. Moore, a valuable greenstone heitiki and other articles; Mrs. F. W. Vosseler, a collection of stone adzes from Terawhiti; and Mr. Byron Brown, various articles. Foreign Ethnological Collections. Practically all the material other than that exhibited has been assembled in one workroom and classified according to countries of origin. Several valuable donations have been received during the past year. Among them are Polynesian and Melanesian articles from Lady Kinsey ; African articles from Mr. and Mrs. G. Day and from Mrs. H. H. Ostler ; Australian material from Messrs. Burns, Philp, and Co., and from the National Museum, Melbourne ; and Belgium brass articles from Miss Dasent. A pueblo mug has been placed on loan by Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Sticht. Ceramics. The only important additions were a collection, mainly of English porcelain, but containing also three large Sevres vases from Lady Kinsey and some Japanese vases from Mr. R. F. Blair. During the first six months that the new building was opened to the public there was exhibited a collection containing some very fine pieces of china lent by the Cawthron Institute, Nelson. Postage Stamps. A collection comprising 457 kinds of unused postage stamps of New Zealand and its dependencies was presented by the Post and Telegraph Department. It is displayed in frames under blinds in the Foreign Ethnology Hall. New Zealand History. 1 he greater portion of the exhibited collection consists of a series of enlarged photographs donated by the Wellington Harbour Board. A model of Captain Cook's "Endeavour" was donated by the Harbour Board. 1' our large photographs, illustrating the ports of Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin, were presented by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. On loan there has been received from His Excellency the Governor-General, Captain Cook's communion cup and case. Mammal Collection. With the exception of whale skeletons, the collection has been assembled in the mammal-room. The only addition of importance was the skeleton of a rare whale (Meso'plodon hectori), retrieved by the Museum staff at Plimmerton in January, 1937. This is the only skeleton of this species that has been preserved. In September last the Director visited the Wanganui Museum to examine the skeleton of a new species of whale, and as a result a description was read at the meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science in Auckland, and subsequently was forwarded for publication to the Zoological Society of London. Bird Collection. The bird collection is being classified gradually as shelving is made available in the bird-room. Additions to the collection have included only birds found dead and sent in by the finders and foreign birds received from aviculturalists. The thanks of the Board are due to the donors who thus spontaneously benefited the Museum. Fish Collection. The transfer of the fish collections, comprising some hundreds of spirit specimens in glass jars, was carried out successfully. Several sharks taken in Wellington Harbour during the past summer have been received at the Museum. Of these, casts have been made of a perlon presented by Mr. N. W. Thomas, a tope presented by Mr. J. Kershaw, and a tiger-shark presented by Mr. A. Fishburn. •Entomological Department. The transfer of the extensive insect collections from the old building was safely accomplished without damage to any of the specimens. Prior to the opening on Ist August of the new building, the work of the Department was concentrated on the arranging and setting-up of the insect displays. During the remainder of the year considerable progress has been made with the setting of the large collections of unmounted insects, and work has progressed on the preparation of new exhibits for the galleries. The work of rearranging the collections, so urgently needed, cannot be started until new cabinets have been provided, and the problem of adequately storing the continually-growing collections is becoming increasingly difficult. Notable accessions during the year include : A collection comprising specimens of sixty-eight New Zealand moths and Trichoptera from Mr. G. Y. Hudson ; a series of specimens of parasitic insects from the Cawthron Institute ; a complete exhibit depicting sericulture in Japan, from the Central Raw Silk Association of Japan ; specimens of silk cocoons and raw silk from Mr. Williamson and Mr.

8