44 NATURAL SCIENCE. Jan., 



local fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. The newer preparations of 

 fishes are mounted in a four per cent, solution of formalin, and, 

 whether this method prove in the course of time to be permanent or 

 no, there can be no doubt so far as to the extreme beauty of specimens 

 so preserved. A large number of the fishes, including some fine 

 salmon, are represented by coloured casts. The collection does not 

 at present include the marine fishes of the estuary of the Tay and 

 neighbouring coasts, but merely the fresh-water fishes of the rivers 

 and lochs of Perthshire. 



Two large cases (C C), forming an inner circle to the room, are 

 occupied by the nests and eggs of local birds. Without aiming at the 

 costly but beautiful arrangement adopted in the Natural History 

 Museum at Cromwell Road, an effort is made in many cases to show 

 the nests with their natural surroundings. Among the rarer local 

 birds, we have, for instance, the Chiff-chaff, Goldfinch, Green- 

 shank, Shoveller, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Red-breasted 

 Merganser, Osprey. The smaller nests are sufficiently displayed by 

 being raised on neat blackened wire stands. 



The great case (D) in the centre of the room contains a stag and 

 hind of the red deer, the latter presented by His Grace the Duke of 

 Atholl, the stag from the Marquis of Breadalbane ; together with them 

 are mounted a buck and doe of the roe-deer, the gift of Colonel 

 Campbell. The specimens are beautifully stuffed and tread a mimic 

 moor of heath and bracken. 



The remaining cases (E E) contain the rest of the Perthshire 

 mammalian fauna. Among the rarer forms are the wild cat and the 

 marten, the former now nearly extinct in the county, the latter unseen 

 for the last sixteen years. To the common river seal, PJwca vitulma, 

 we have lately added a beautiful specimen of the harp seal, P. Green- 

 landica, in splendid piebald coat, taken during last summer in Inver- 

 gowrie Bay. 



Two sides of the wall-cases of the gallery are occupied by botanical 

 specimens. The first shows one or more representative species, 

 dried and mounted, of all the genera of phanerogams that occur in 

 Perthshire. 



The long wall-case on the west side is devoted to Perthshire 

 trees, and is one of the chief features of the Museum. In successive 

 panels there are polished longitudinal and transverse sections of the 

 trunks of large and sometimes stately examples of our indigenous 

 trees ; and together with these are, in each case, preparations illustra- 

 ting the seed, seedling, leaf, flower, fruit. The seedUng, flower, and 

 fruit are wet preparations in two per cent, solution of formalin. 

 Above all are placed photographs taken from representative speci- 

 mens of living trees under summer and winter conditions. Most of 

 the polished logs are the gift of the Duke of Atholl. 



The table-cases in front of these show specimens of the ferns and 

 mosses of Perthshire, systematically arranged. 



