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taken as occasion offered to replace some of the New Zealand birds with better specimens, and the cases throughout the Museum have been kept in clean condition by the members of the devoted to the purpose. Skeleton of Whale. —Undoubtedly the largest single object the Museum will ever possess was obtained during the year. In February, as above mentioned, I visited Okarito, and saw the huge mammal stranded on the beach. It was in a very favourable position for removal, but, as neither labour nor suitable appliances could be locally obtained, serious work could not be attempted. Details as to position, size, methods of transport, &c, were obtained, and these, later, became valuable when a small syndicate was formed, and armed with necessary tools and gear, finally succeeded in obtaining all the bones with the exception of the right maxillary, and hopes are still entertained of recovering this bone, which is probably buried in the sand. The skeleton was purchased for £500. Of this sum, £300 was raised by subscription, Messrs. Edgar F. Stead and K. Turnbull (the vendors) each contributing £50 ; the balance was provided out of the funds of Canterbury College. The cost of erection and that of the shelter will be largely met by the grant of the Government previously referred to. Publication. —The first part of the results of the " Nora Niven " trawling expedition has been received from the various specialists to whom the material was submitted, and is now in the hands of the Government Printer. It has been arranged that the work shall be published as Part 2of the " Records of the Canterbury Museum," and it is expected to appear early next year. Additions. —Among the many acquisitions to the collections the following may be mentioned : Mr. L. F. Ayson presented the skull of a strap-toothed whale (Mesoplodon layardi), in which the two teeth had grown until they met over the upper jaw ; Mr. R. Speight presented andesitic rocks from the neighbourhood of Tongariro and Ruapehu ; Professor R. J. Scott, a mounted example of the wandering albatros ; Mr. L. A. Cotton, glacier granite and kenyte from Antarctica ; and the Curator, a model of the egg of the great auk. Guide-book. —The reduction in the price of the guide-book to Is. resulted in increased sales, exactly one hundred copies having been disposed of during the year. SCHOOL OF ARTS. (Director, Mr. R. Herdman Smith, F.S.A.M, &c.) I have the honour to report that the quality of the work of the students has considerably improved during the year 1908. gp[ Attendance. —The students in attendance during the year 1908 numbered 1,160, an increase 'of 926 students over the year 1907. The number of morning students amounted to 213, the number of afternoon 321, the number of evening students to 327, and the number of Saturday students to 299. IJS! 0 Examinations. —In connection with the advanced art examinations held by the Board of Education, South Kensington, London, 28 students received pass certificates, and in the examination for Art Class Teachers Certificates three finished works were acepted by the examiners; one finished work was also accepted for the Art Masters Certificate. The usual local examinations were held at the end of the year, and all the students , submitted work for examination. *p* • : 991 Exhibition. —An exhibition of students' work was held during were appreciated by the public. The Press gave several favourable reports on the advancement of the work of the school as a whole. Scholarships. —A bronze medal and eleven free scholarships were awarded on the year's work to students of the day and evening classes, also some 24 scholarships to pupils of the State schools. Drawing and Painting. —lnstruction was given in drawing and painting from life, still life, antique, and landscape. A special feature was made of costume study on the living model and figure composition. A series of anatomy lectures were given during the year. Design. —Six classes per week were held for this subject, and many really excellent examples were executed. A booklet entitled " Maori Fairy Tales " was illustrated by students, and several commissions for posters and designs for advertising purposes were given by various local firms to the school, for students to design. A start has also been made in pottery-painting, and several examples of under-glaze work were executed during the year. Several etchings were also executed on the school's new printing press. A large feature of the work of this department was the preparation of designs for the crafts classes, such as cartoons for stained glass, working designs for wood and stone carving, repousse work, enamelling, embroidery, lace, gresso, and leather work, &c. Artistic Crafts. —The work of this department comprised carrying out in material the workingdesigns made in the design department. Examples of Limoges and Cloisonne enamelling, jewellery, and general art metal work were executed. Excellent specimens of wood-carving, repousse, gesso, and leaded-light work were made during the year by the students. Classes for these crafts were held in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Modelling. —This is the first year that really serious work has been done in this important department. Several advanced students gave all their time to figure-modelling this year, with a result that many really fine examples of bas relief and work in the round have resulted. The general trade modelling classes have done good work throughout the year, and I hope to see the subject of modelling design taken up seriously another year. Architecture. —Steady progress has been made in this department. The course embraces five evenings per week, and several students took the full course. It was decided to grant a bronze medal for the best set of works in several subjects this year, and, as a result, some very excellent sheets were submitted at the end of the session. Signwriting and Decorating. —Good work has been done in this department, especially in stencilled decoration and three-tone painting and poster-work.