H—2l

Other activities of the section have been the fortnightly club meetings and excursions for secondary-school pupils, and routine identifications, which absorb a large amount of time. Molluscan Section During the year, Mr. R. K. Dell has continued routine work in classifying and relabelling the collection of New Zealand Recent mollusca. A start has been made in cataloguing and indexing this collection, some 4,800 double entries having been made. The collection of Cape material has been completely catalogued and listed. Collecting trips have been made to fossil localities in the Wairarapa, to Kapiti Island, the Horowhenua Plain, and to the Mount Arthur Tableland. A considerable amount of material, including a number of species new to science, was obtained. In addition, routine local collecting has been carried out whenever possible. Important accessions during the year include a large collection of mollusca from Campbell Island presented by Mr. J. H. Sorensen ; the Dell Collection of mollusca consisting mainly of New Zealand material, but including also a collection from New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands ; an extensive collection of littoral Cirripedia presented by Miss L. Moore ; and a representative collection of mollusca from Stewart Island donated by Miss C. Allan. In addition, Mr. A. C. O'Connor has again generously presented a considerable number of New Zealand land snails. As a result of exchanging with private collectors, a number of species new to the Museum collections has been obtained. A number of papers based on material in the collections and on material acquired during the year are being prepared for publication. Taxidermy and Exhibition Sections Mr. C. J. Lindsay, in addition to routine duties, prepared for exhibition and exchange four casts of a Dusky dolphin, and restored a life-sized figure of a Maori chief. The Chairman and Curator of the Nelson Museum have expressed appreciation of technical assistance given by Mr. Lindsay during several visits, and particularly in connection with a Pioneer Exhibition, to which he contributed some of his annual leave. A lecture on the " History and Development of Firearms " also was given to the Association of Friends of the Nelson Museum. Miss V. Norman, who rejoined the staff after several years of war service and museum training in England, has organized a section to develop modelling and new display techniques. After the initial stages of purchasing and setting up equipment, she has prepared models in wax, rubber, and plaster for display in the Museum or in travelling cases. Other museums have been supplied with several casts. Some restoration also has been done of oil paintings belonging to the Museum. Experimental research in new methods and new materials, such as rubber latex, has been undertaken, and a collection of native plants preserved in natural forms begun. Photographic Section The printing and recording of the collection of negatives has continued, and 544 old negatives have been dealt with during the year by Mr. B. W. Hall. Work has commenced on the sorting and classification of the scenic section of the Burton Bros. Collection. The permanent negative collection has been increased by 469 negatives during the year, and a great deal of photographic work of various sorts has been put through for the various members of the Museum staff. A reciprocal arrangement for the use of the Museum dark-room has been made with the Alexander Turnbull Library. Some experiments on the use of the latest natural colour processes have been carried out. Four of Dr. Salmon's photographs dealing with the moulting and regeneration of limbs of stick insects were hung in the 1947 exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society in London.

7