388 Natural Historic m the English Counties. 



ciety, that, in consequence of the acquisition, by Mr. Fox, of the original 

 manuscript catalogue of the museum, they have it in their power to con- 

 tradict the report that only a part of the museum had come into the pos- 

 session of the Society. 



Considering the real value of the museum to depend upon the facility it 

 affords to students to acquire knowledge with ease and precision ; and that 

 to become thoroughly acquainted with British, is the sure road to the 

 more extensive field of foreign, natural history, the Committee have parti- 

 cularly directed their attention to the obtaining and arrangement of the 

 productions of this kingdom ; and with this view they had printed and cir- 

 culated a list oi desiderata of British birds. By this measure 26 species, out 

 of 1 1 5 which were wanting, were almost immediately procured, and the 

 ornithologist may now have an opportunity, by inspecting the collection, of 

 ascertaining above two thirds of the British species, besides several varieties, 

 and 1 52 species of foreign birds. 



Of the British shells, two thirds have been presented and are arranged 

 in the cabinets, together with a considerable number of exotic specimens, 

 and some corallines ; and one half of the phaenogamous plants may be con- 

 sulted in the herbarium. 



In the geological department the museum is rich, possessing not less than 

 3000 specimens ; and the Committee feel warranted in saying, that there is 

 scarcely a formation in the kingdom which has not contributed to the col- 

 lection. In this department, as well as that of the plants, the museum also 

 possesses several foreign specimens. 



Independently of the British, there have been arranged into genera, by the 

 curator and other gentlemen conversant with the subject, nearly 1000 foreign 

 species of insects j and, in consequence of the very liberal donation of jars, 

 by the Northumberland Glass Company, the valuable collection of reptiles 

 and snakes will, by the same assistance, be also ready for inspection in a 

 short time. 



The Committee conclude by stating the decisive opinion of Mr. Sabine, 

 whose knowledge in these branches of science few will venture to dispute, 

 that the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne had 

 done great service to naturalists in general, by preserving entire so curious 

 and valuable a collection as the Wycliffe museum, and to those of this dis- 

 trict in particular, where these specimens are now safely deposited. 



126 distinct presents have been made to the museum since the last anni- 

 versary^, many of them containing a great variety of subjects of natural his- 

 tory ; in all, amounting to considerably above 200. 



The following is the list of desiderata: — Land Birds. Ring-tailed eagle, 

 Falco fulvus ; Honey buzzard, Falco «plvorus ; Goshawk, Falco j^alumba- 

 rius; Lanner, Falco lanarius; Spotted falcon Perm., Falco versicolor; Ash- 

 coloured falcon, Falco cinerarius; Woodchat, Lanius rufus; Mountain 

 bunting, Emberiza montana; Lapland finch, Emberiza calcarata; Parrot 

 crossbill, LoxiaPytiopsittacus; Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa Grisola; Rock 

 lark, ^'nthus aquaticus; Dusky lark, ^lauda obscura; Richard's pipit, J'n- 

 thus Richardi ; Red lark, ^lauda rubra ; Grasshopper warbler, Sylvia Locus- 

 tella ; Reed warbler, Sylvia arundinacea ; Lesser whitethroat, Sylvia Sylvi- 

 ^lla ; Wheatear, Sylvia CEnanthe; Alpine warbler. Accentor alpinus; Crested 

 titmouse, Parus cristatus; Rock dove, Columba Liv'm. — Water Birds. 

 Black stork, ^'rdea nigra; Crane, ^^rdea G^rus; Gardenian heron, ^^rdea 

 Garden? ; Purple heron, -^'rdea purpurea; Squacco heron, ^^rdea comata; 

 Little egret, A'rdea, Garzetta ; Great white heron, ^'rdea alba ; Freckled 

 white heron, ^'rdea lentiginosa; Cayenne night heron, ^'rdea cayanensis ; 

 Ibis, Tantalus fancin^llus; Pygmy curlew, iVumenius pygmae'us; Curlew dun- 

 lin, Tringa subarquata; Temminck's knot, Tringa Temminckii; Little stint, 



