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Beport of the Cueator op the Museum por 1899. The changes in the internal arrangement of the Museum have been few and inconspicuous, the chief alteration being the removal of the wax and other models of embryological stages of various animals, and of internal structures of animals and plants, from the Museum to the classroom, where they are more conveniently placed for examination by students, while they were entirely out of place in the Exhibition. This has allowed me to expand the collection of moa remains, and to exhibit the legs, feet, and pelves in a more prominent way because less crowded. The valuable series of moa skeletons have been relabelled ; the names of some of the species have been altered in recent years. The new names had been used by the late Dr. Parker in some parts of the series, while the entire skeletons retained the old names. The series is now, at any rate, named congruously. I have had boards painted to indicate the locality within the Museum of the different classes of exhibits, to act as sign-posts or guides to visitors who frequently come to look at some special group of exhibits. As to the collections, very few additions have been made to the series of vertebrata, but I may mention the acquisition of a second almost complete moa's egg from the same locality as the one obtained last year. The new egg was kindly presented by the finder, Mr. Weaver, of the Earnscleugh dredge. I am having mounted for exhibition a fine specimen of the Australian lung-fish, recently obtained by a former student of the Otago School of Mines, Mr. Sergeant, who took a great deal of trouble, and spent a great amount of energy in personally capturing the fish. A specimen of the hammer-head shark was presented by Mr. E. Heycock, of Whangarei, the skeleton of which is being prepared by Professor Parker's glycerine-gelatine method. Skeletons of other cartilaginous fishes, similarly prepared, are also in process of being mounted for exhibition. A considerable number of new specimens of invertebrate animals has been added: of these about fifty are spirit specimens, while the rest are dried. These include a number of New Zealand animals and a number of foreign ones. I am gradually replacing some old, poorly preserved, or bleached or injured specimens by new ones, and am paying special attention to the New Zealand fauna. But this can only be gradually done, as occasion offers. However, during the year, I have taken every opportunity of collecting and carefully preserving animals for this purpose. Amongst the recently-acquired specimens of our native fauna, I should like to mention the following interesting animals : A handsome and rare crab, presented by Dr. Hocken, which has been preserved by the glycerine method; a seahorse and a pipe-fish, collected at Port Chalmers and preserved in formaline, retain their natural colours well; a fine new species of barnacle (scalpellum), collected by Mr. Cqx, light-keeper at Farewell Spit. Amongst the specimens collected by myself at Moeraki, I came across an interesting instance of " commensalism ". between two annelids. Examples of this are now exhibited. During the year I have introduced into this collection a number of fossils, acquired by the late Curator in exchange from Mr. Ward, of Bochester, New York, but which had not been unpacked; and amongst ethnological additions may be mentioned a Fijian kava-bowl, received from Captain Hutton in exchange. The usual repairs to skeletons and other specimens, and rebottlings and relabellings have been carried out. Wi. Blaxland Benham, D.Sc, Hon. Curator.

Beport on the Medical School. Sib,— University of Otago, 31st March, 1900. I have no changes to report in the Medical School during the past year, and nothing has been done towards the much-required strengthening of the teaching staff. t The usual classes have been held as in former years, and some additions have been made to the teaching appliances. I regret, however, to have to state that the new post-mortem room at the hospital, for want of which the teaching of pathology has been crippled for so many years, is still unbuilt, but I trust that the negotiations now going on between the University Council and the Hospital Trustees may result in something being done this winter. There are now eighty students attending the school, and the majority of these are going through the whole of their course here, with a view to taking the degrees in medicine of the New Zealand University. Fifteen have passed their first professional examination, seventeen their second, while eleven passed their final examination in January, and are now Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery of the New Zealand University. Of this year's graduates, Miss Kinder and Miss Frost are now house surgeons in the Hospital in Adelaide, Mr. Bett is house surgeon to the Auckland Hospital, Mr. Hall is junior house surgeon to the Christchurch Hospital, while Mr. McAra holds the same position in Dunedin; Mr. Gran is assistant medical officer in the Auckland Government Asylum, and Miss Platts, Miss Woodward, Messrs. Gibson, Schumacher, and Will, have gone into private practice. I am, &c, The Chancellor, University of Otago. John H. Scott.

Eepoet on the School op Mines. Sic, — The University, Dunedin, 25th November, 1899. I have the honour to submit my annual report regarding the attendance, work, and results of the annual examinations of the School of Mines during the past session (1899), together with remarks on practical teaching facilities, requirements, and other points concerning the school.

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