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lay the result of its investigation before Parliament. During the last ten years the expenses of the Museum have been £500 more than the revenue received from the Museum Endowment, and about £200 was spent out of general funds on the retaining-wall, in addition to the £1,000 borrowed for that specific purpose. Joshua Strange Williams. Chancellor.

Beport of the Curator of the Otago Univeesity Museum. During the past year 1900 a considerable amount of work has been carried out in the Museum, in the remounting of specimens, both osteological and alcoholic, in relabelling the specimens, and in the addition of new specimens, some of these being specimens of species hitherto unrepresented in the collection ; others—viz., local species—being new to science, and others again being better specimens required to replace imperfect or deteriorated exhibits. Additions to the Collection.—(A.) Local fauna: A plaster cast of the baby fin whale acquired by me last year; the skeleton of the fore and hind limbs of a young elephant seal (Macrorhmus coninus), brought up from the Macquarries to supplement our skeleton of an adult, in which the limb bones are incomplete ; a stuffed specimen of the spiny shark (Acanthras vulgaris) ; a fine individual of the gigantic spider crab (Prionorhynchus edwardsii) caught off the Otago coast, and hitherto known only from the Auckland and the Campbell Islands; a large and handsome Ophiurid (Ophiocreas constrictor) from Dusky Sound, type of a new species, and the first representative in New Zealand of the genus; a complete skeleton of the elephant fish (Gallorhynchus), as well as skulls of some other sharks. In addition to these, a number of invertebrates have been added, most important being a series of local starfishes (dried) which had been sent to England in 1893 to a specialist for identification. (b.) General collection.—A fine specimen of the Australian lung fish (ceratodus) ; a chameleon (G. diligris) collected in the contingent's camp at Beira (E. Africa) ; a fine and perfect skeleton of a dog ; a number of Invertebrata in alcohol, including Lingula, a lampshell now surviving in the ocean, which first appeared in the Cambrian rooks. The most numerous additions have been to the palceontological series, required for teaching purposes and for exhibition—viz., a plaster cast of a toothed bird (Odontoptery) ; a dragon fly ; a peculiar bivalve mollusc (Hipparites) ; specimens of Trilobites, of Crinoids (six), Cystids (four), Blastids, and corals. Further, I have set up a series of thirty-seven preparations (chiefly butterflies) to illustrate the uses of colour in nature. (Protective resemblance, mimicry, and warning colouration. Bemounts— About eighty specimens of local fauna and several of the foreign specimens have been remounted in more suitable jars. Several of the skeletons on exhibition have been taken to pieces, cleaned, and remounted. The horse, cow, tiger, llama have thus been treated, and gradually the entire series—where necessary—will be similarly dealt with. Further, the skeletons of a large lizard and of an alligator (previously mounted with each bone on a separate support, and thus very liable to be lost) have been mounted in a more compact manner; and, while still allowing the removal and examination by students of the essential parts, yet present, when exhibited to the public, the appearance of entire skeletons. The series of sterna and some other parts of the moas have now been mounted, each on its own table and labelled, to harmonize with the set of valuable and instructive moa relics mounted by the late Curator. I have entered into negotiations for exchange with two or three Curators oi foreign museums, but have not yet been able to effect any exchanges of importance. From Professor Weldon, of Oxford, however, I received, in addition to some invertebrata, a series of beautiful microscopic sections illustrating the development of the chick, and invaluable for teaching purposes. During the year the Museum has been visited by a very large number of people, as many as five hundred or more being not unusual on a Sunday or holiday. W. B. Benham, Professor and Curator.

Beport on the Medical School. I am pleased to be able to report that the much-needed post-mortem room at the hospital has at last been built, and is now in use. The money required for its erection was contributed by the trustees of the hospital, the University Council, and certain members of the teaching-staff of the Medical School. ~-,.', • • , iV . ™ The number of students attending the school during the present session is seventy-three. Of these sixteen have passed their first and sixteen their second professional examination. Eight of last year's undergraduates passed their final examination in January, and have received the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of New Zealand. The junior house surgencies in the Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland Hospitals are now held by three of these graduates. Two others have gone to London for further study, while three are in private practice in this country. . It may be of interest to note that since the foundation of the school fifty-six students have gone through the whole of their course here, and have taken the degree of Medicine of the New Zealand University. Of these forty-seven are now in practice in the colony. Ninety students, after a partial course here, have completed their studies in Great Britain, and have taken some British qualifications. Many of these have returned to New Zealand, and there are 105 medical practitioners in this country who have received their education, either completely or partially, at this school. The total number of students, both past and present, is 321, Dr John Macdonald, who has held the post of lecturer on materia medica since the school was founded, has found it necessary, owing to ill-health, to resign his lectureship. His successor has not yet been appointed. John H. Scott, May 1901. Dean of the Medical School.