3

H.—34

Contributions and Exchanges. 1 His Excellency Governor "Weld, Tasmania. 1 Professor Balfour, Edinburgh. 1 Professor McCoy, Melbourne. 1 Chairman of School Library Committee, Eton, Bucks., England. 1 Chairman of School Library Committee, Harrow, England. 1 Chairman of School Library Committee, Rugby, Warwickshire, England. 1 President of Natural History Society, Marlborough College, Marlborough, Wilts. 1 Colonel Jewett, New York. 1 Dr. Wojeikof, St. Petersburg. 1 Hon. Mr. Casey, Victorian Government. 1 Dr. Harm, for the Royal Imperial Institute for Meteorology and Earth Magnetism, HoheWarte, near Vienna. 1 Dr. Berggren, University of Lund, Sweden. Libraries and Societies in New Zealand. 1 Secretary, Auckland Institute. 1 Secretary, Wellington Philosophical Society. 1 Secretary, Philosopical Institute of Canterbury. 1 Secretary, Nelson Association. 1 Secretary, Otago Institute. 1 Secretary, Hawke Bay Philosophical Institute. • 1 Secretary, Westland Institute. 1 General Assembly Library. 9 Provincial Council Libraries. Publishing Branch. 1 Editor. 1 Assistant Editor. 2 Draftsman. 1 Lithographer. 1 Government Printer. Total, 111 copies. Museum. The new building was open to the public on 3rd January, and, up to the end of Bth July, 8,776 names have been entered in the visitors' book. The arrangement of the contents, however, is only provisional, as show-cases and other furniture ordered from England has not yet arrived. The total number of specimens received into the Museum during 1875-76 is 14,525 ; this includes about 13,090 specimens collected in the field by the officers of the Geological Survey Department. (See remarks under the head of Palaeontology.) The packing and re-arrangement of the collections during the erection of the building occupied much time; but, notwithstanding, material progress has been made with the draft catalogues of the contents of the Museum, and a large series of new preparations are ready to be exhibited as soon as the cases can be arranged. Among these are 331 bird skins, which have been stuffed and mounted by the Taxidermist. The former collections have also been cleaned and re-mounted. Herbarium. —The collection of New Zealand and foreign plants, estimated to comprise 5,000 species, has been thoroughly re-arranged on a convenient system for reference. An addition to the Herbarium of about 10,000 species, presented by the Trustees of the British Museum, has been shipped from England. The Herbarium is entirely in charge of the Draftsman, whose work in this branch comprises forty lithographed plates, fifty manuscript maps for the Geological Survey, besides a large number of Natural History drawings for the Department. Mammalia. —The most important addition under this head has been a type collection of 95 stuffed animals and 102 skeletons, received from the British Museum in exchange. Birds. —The skins and skeletons from the British Museum, noted in the list of donations, are the most interesting of those received. An increase in the duplicate specimens of New Zealand birds in the Museum has been made during the past year. A fine series of 911 North American birds' eggs has been obtained by exchange with Mr. Buckley, of Birmingham. Beptilia. —Several fine specimens of the Tuatara lizard {Sphcenodon punctatus) have been presented by Mr. L. B. Wilson, of the Marine Department, who obtained them from the Brother Islands during the survey for the new lighthouse. Fishes. —From the British Museum we have also the most important addition under this head— viz., 100 species, part of which are stuffed, and the rest in spirit. Invertebrata.- —A fine collection of New Zealand insects, Goleoptera, presented by Mr. C. M. Wakefield, and those received from the British Museum. The collection of land shells (354 species) from the British Museum is also an important addition to the Museum. Palceontology. —During the present year a further examination has been undertaken of the Reefton district. This work went to confirm what was previously almost settled —viz., that the fossiliferous slates and madrepore limestones of Devonian age which occur in this district are overlaid unconformably by the auriferous slates (Maitai series?) No new fossils were discovered in these beds, but portions of two large trilobites were secured.