3

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choose a course in which the principles of these subjects are applied is a phase of our University system not in touch with the times in which we live, or in accordance with long-established English usage. It is gratifying to note that several of the candidates for degrees in mining and metallurgical engineering have in recent years shown an excellence in their examination results as awarded by the English examiners that would have entitled them to honours had the subjects of examination been subjects in which honours are granted by the University. College and University Examinations. —All candidates for the engineering degrees of the New Zealand University are required first to sit for the College examinations, and after an interval of a week or ten days then to sit for the New Zealand University examinations. The papers set by the College and by the New Zealand University now cover the same ground in all subjects. The College examinations occupy ten or twelve days, the University examinations about ten days — altogether some three weeks. After sitting for the College examinations, the candidates are often quite exhausted and ill prepared to battle with the University papers which follow after a tooshort interval. Our present method of examinations is modelled on the ancient Chinese system, which has now been set aside in China by an Imperial edict, dated 1905, in favour of the more rational methods of examination followed in Germany and America. The German system was fully described by the writer in his annual report for the year 1904. It should be noted that these remarks are not intended to apply to the humanities, but only to the subjects taught in applied science. Mining School Building. —ln nry last report I called the attention of the Council to the ruinous and dilapidated condition of the Mining School building. I regret to say that the building is still dilapidated, and even more ruinous than before. It is beyond the patching stage. It is not worth patching. A new and suitable building is a most urgent necessity. And in pressing this matter I may perhaps be pardoned for reminding you that two or three Rhodes scholars for New Zealand, and three of the four Otago graduates to whom the 1851 Exhibition Research Scholarship has been awarded, are mining students of our University. Moreover, the Sir George Grey Scholarship has been awarded to a mining student for the past four years in succession. More than this, our graduates have carried the name of the Otago University School of Mines to the most remote parts of the globe, where they are held in high esteem for integrity and professional ability. No mining school in New Zealand or Australia can show a record like that of the Otago School of Mines, and none, not even the most humble, is so badly housed. A new building has now become a matter of necessity. I have much pleasure in placing on record my appreciation of the zealous and efficient work carried on by Dr. Marshall, Mr. D. B. Waters, and Mr. G. Armstrong, lecturers, and Mr. Norman Shand, demonstrator, in their different departments during the past year. Special acknowledgments are due to Dr. Marshall and Mr. Waters.

Otago University Museum : Report of the Curator. (Dr. W. B. Benham, B.Sc.) During the year 1905 the Museum received two valuable and extensive series of specimens—viz., the fine collection of New Zealand birds' eggs belonging to Dr. Fulton and a series of ethnological articles presented by Mr. and Mrs. James Mills. To allow of the proper display of these, rearrangement of some existing exhibits became necessary. New Exhibits. The most extensive piece of work has been in connection with the former. Dr. Fulton presented his collection to the Otago Institute, the Council of which body have '' deposited '' the collection in the University Museum. The acquisition of this fine series of eggs led me to consider a proper means of exhibiting the entire series of our native birds' eggs. Hitherto they have been placed, each on its tablet, on the floor of the upright cases containing the stuffed birds; but not only were they in a bad position for study, but they had become much faded, and were very liable to be broken when the birds were taken out or put back into the cases (and this has, unfortunately, happened in the past). I have now placed the eggs in the table cases in the upper gallery, opposite to the upright cases containing our native birds, and over each case is a baize curtain with rings running over a rod along each side, so that it can be easily pushed up and replaced by persons desiring to examine the eggs. They are thus protected from the influence of the light, but at the same time are readily accessible to the public. Each egg, or a group of eggs of the same species, is mounted on a tablet covered with black velveteen, on which they show up very well. Dr. Fulton's collection contained the eggs of eighty-four species of birds. Of this number twentyseven were not previously represented in our collection, which already contained the eggs of seventy-four species, so that we now possess the eggs of 102 species of New Zealand birds (including one referred to below) out of a total of about 190 birds attributed to New Zealand. Of these, however, many do not nest in our area, such as several sea-birds; others are occasional visitors, and of others, such as the Notornis, the egg is unknown. In short, this collection is now the finest public collection in the colony. Another very rare and valuable egg, that of the kea (Nestor notabilis), we owe to the generosity of Mrs. George McLean. In pursuance of a plan outlined in my report for 1904, I have arranged a number of exhibits in illustration of the characteristic features of the mammalia, but owing to insufficient case-room I have been compelled for the present to limit these to examples of dentition in the group. Here is shown the typical structure of a tooth in both superficial and sectional views, each fully labelled