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Bird collections of skins, eggs, and skeletons have had the following noteworthy additions : One complete skeleton of Notornis from Takahe Valley (Department of Internal Affairs). Mounted New Zealand birds comprising the greater part of the collection formerly in the Hawke's Bay Museum, Napier. Field-work in ornithology consisted of visits by the Director to sanctuary localities in Southland, Westland, and Marlborough respectively, for study of the surviving populations of Notornis, white heron, and king shag. Preservable material from the Takahe Valley collected by other official parties also has been sent to the Dominion Museum. A bird-ringing scheme organized by the Ornithological Society of New Zealand will in future have its rings returned to and records kept in the Museum. New exhibits have included a bay illustrating the common birds of Wellington. In a reorganization of basement storage Mr. Phillipps checked and rearranged the spirit collection of fishes. The Marine Department and several commercial fishermen have continued to supply the Museum with much-needed specimens of fish. Those new to the collection, of which casts have been prepared for exhibition, are : Opah (Lampris luna), Orowaiti. Carpet Shark, Awanui. Ray's Bream from Chatham Islands. Mr. C. McCann continued his study of New Zealand lizards and completed the manuscript of a systematic revision, with illustrations. Papers and booklets published dealing with vertebrate zoology were — " The Moas of New Zealand and Australia," by W. R. B. Oliver. Dominion Museum Bulletin No. 15. " Notornis Rediscovered," by R. A. Falla. Emu, Vol. 48, Pt. 4, May, 1949, Melbourne. " Birds of the Solanders," by R. A. Falla. N.Z. Bird Notes, Vol. 3, No. 2. " Bird Resources," by R. A. Falla. United Nations Scientific Conference on the Utilization of Natural Resources. "Birds of Martins Bay, 1876-81," by W. J. Phillipps. N.Z. Science Congress Paper, 1947. " Native Fishes of New Zealand," by W. J. Phillipps. (A. H. and A. W. Reed.) " Birds," a Primary School Bulletin, by R. A. Falla. (Education Department.) Entomological Section The vacancy caused by the resignation of Dr. J. T. Salmon had, unfortunately, not been filled by the end of the year. There were few applications, and an applicant selected finally declined the position. In the circumstances routine supervision of collections, visitors, and inquiries has been maintained by Mr. R. K. Dell, while Mr. C. J. Lindsay mounted and incorporated a small amount of new material. Display cases were renovated and two new ones prepared by Miss N. Fitchett from Dr. Salmon's notes and some advice from Dr. M. Laird. " A Revision of N.Z. Wetas," by Dr. J. T. Salmon, was published as Dominion Museum Records in Entomology, Vol. 1, No. 8. CONCHOLOGY AND MARINE INVERTEBRATE SECTION The display material provided in this section has been entirely new, and Mr. Dell had the assistance of Miss S. Baker in preparing most of the exhibits. Several wax models were made, as, required, by Miss V. M. Norman.

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