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the more important acquisitions to the British Museum by purchase during the year special mention may be made of the Whitehead Collection of Birds and Mammals from the Philippines; the second instalment of the Bates Collection of Heteromerous Coleoptera (13,798 specimens); a fine stuffed Lion from Machako's, British East Africa, shot by Mr. S.L. Hinde; the Savin collection of fossil vertebrate remains from the Norfolk Forest-bed series of deposits; a series of fossil remains from the Oxford Clay of Fletton, selected from the collection of Mr. A.N. Leeds; and a fine set of specimens of American Palæozoic Bryozoa.

The number of separate presents reported as having been received during the year by the several Departments of the Museum amounted to 1622, as against 1518 in the preceding year. The following are of special interest:—From Messrs. F. Du Cane Godman and Osbert Salvin: Further portions of their collection of the Coleoptera of Central America, comprising 5468 specimens; the first instalment of their collection of New World Lepidoptera of the family Danainæ, comprising 486 specimens; and 2586 specimens of Heterocerous Lepidoptera of various orders from Central America. From Colonel John Biddulph: A fine collection of birds from Gilgit, consisting of 3386 skins of nearly 250 species. From Dr. John Anderson, F.R.S.: A large and valuable collection of Reptiles and Batrachians made by him in Egypt and Nubia between the years 1891 and 1895, and forming the basis of a large work, which he has now published. From Mr. F.C. Selous: An interesting series of South African Mammals, including a Springbok, and pairs each of Bontebok, Blesbok, Gnu, and Inyala Antelopes. From Mr. S.L. Hinde, Resident Medical Officer at Machako's, British East Africa: An interesting and valuable series of Natural History specimens (chiefly Mammals, Birds, and Insects) collected by him in British East Africa, and including specimens of species hitherto unrepresented in the Museum Collection. From Capt. E.O. Wathem: The skeleton and skin of a Gavial (Gavialis gangeticus) from near Muttra, in the North-west Provinces of India. From Miss A.M.R. Stevens; A very fine specimen of the same reptile from Behar. From the Canadian Department of Marine and Fisheries: A stuffed Seal (Phoca grœnlandica) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. From Mr. Thorpe, of St. Helena (through the Colonial Office): The shell of a large Land Tortoise (Testudo elephantina), which died at St. Helena about twenty years ago. From the Hon,