270 ANNUAL REPORT 



existence of the Club, and a justification for the appeal for a larger measure of 

 support from all interested in the progress of science in Essex. The editor begs 

 to repeat and emphasize his request made in last report for more "Notes" of 

 original observations, which are always so welcome and encouraging. 



The Essex Museum of Natural History. — Substantial progress has 

 been made at the Museum during the past year. Many new cases have been 

 constructed and fitted up, and very great improvements have taken place in the 

 mode of exhibiting the specimens, particularly in the substitution of rectangular 

 glass jars in place of cylindrical oues, for specimens in fluid. Among the series 

 that have been re-arranged are the fishes, the reptiles, and the Marine Invertebrata. 

 In connection with the latter collection a large scale map showing the deeps and 

 shallows of the British seas has been prepared by Bartholomew, of Edinburgh, 

 and Miss Gertrude Woodward has made a series of eight large-scale drawings of 

 the principal types. ]\Iany very interesting specimens have been obtained from 

 the jSIarine Stations at Plymouth and Naples, and a part of 2\Ir. W. Cole's 

 specimens obtained in the Colne Estuary have been mounted. 



One small room has been devoted to the illustration of such subjects as 

 mimicry and protective resembhaice, etc., in insects, and some very beautiful 

 examnles have been obtained from Swinhoe and Bastin. This collection is not 

 vet finished. Some coloured drawings have been specially made for these 

 collections by Txliss Jane E. Cole. 



Other zoological collections worthy of special notice are tlie fine series of 

 models, specimens, drawings, and tablets, illustrating the ancestry of the horse — 

 put up as an object-lesson in the facts of evolution ; a series of specimens of the 

 Cephalopoda, so arranged as to show the progress or decline of the various groups 

 in geologic time, and to lead up to the exhibition of the species still living in 

 Essex waters ; also a series (not yet quite finished) showing the primitive forms 

 of Vertebrates and the allied Ascidians, etc. ; the Essex species as obtainable 

 being exhibited in this series. 



In the gallery of the Museum the mineral collection has been partly arranged 

 in accordance with the printed catalogue prepared by Dr. Auden before his 

 recrretted resignation as head of the chemical department in the Institute. The 

 students' series of fossils in the four inclined cases, which was commenced by Mr. 

 ■\V. H. Dalton, F.G.S., and which owed so much to his generosity both of 

 specimens and valuable time, is being overhauled. The fine collection of tossils, 

 presented to the Club by Dr. Horace Browne, F.R.S , has permitted great 

 impr.ivement in the selection of specimens, and the mode of labelling and 

 arranging has been altered so as to make the series of use to biological as well as 

 geological students. 



The Council has great pleasure in acknowledging the very valuable services of 



]Mr. Thomas W. Reader, F.G.S., in connection with the collection of typical rock 



specimens, now being prepared for exhibition in the table-cases on the right-hand 



side of the gallery. For some months past Mr. Reader has devoted two or three 



days a week to this work, and has, moreover, presented many specimens from his 



own collection, to go with the collections presented by j\Ir. Dalton and Dr. Horace 



Browne. It is hoped that the rock collection will be completed in the course of 



a few months. 



On the botanical side of the Museum work is only commencing, and any 



remarks had best be postponed until next report. But the beautiful series of large 



origmal drawings of the principal groups of Essex plants, prepared by Dr. M. C. 



