208 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



especially with the birds. His early knowledge of it covered 

 a very interesting period, M'hen it had not been anything like 

 so seriously interfered witli by settlement as it unfortunately 

 is now."-' 



Ill association with Sir William lie acted as one of the 

 Honorary Secretaries from 1885 to 1890. 



Daring 1880-81 was held the Melbourne International Exhi- 

 bition which Ml'. Ramsay attended as one of the New South 

 Wales Commissioners.'* 



The Museum was awarded the " First Oi'der of Merit " 

 Certificate, equal to a Bronze Medal, for a collection of "stuffed 

 birds and fish " ; Ramsay was awarded a " Diploma " iji 

 recognition of his services. 



In the " Catalogue of Exhibits in the New South Wales 

 Court," etc. printed by the Government Printer liere, in 1880, 

 it is remai'ked : — 



" A Collection of food fishes fi-oni the waters of Port Jackson and 

 the neighbourhood, exhibited by Mr. Kamsay. Curator of the 

 Australian Museum, should possess a considerable interest. 

 In company with the last-named collection will be found 

 another of tlie Birds indigenous to the Colony, made by the 

 same gentleman, "s 



This Melbourne Exhibition was sinif)ly the successor of the 

 "Sydney International Exliibition " of 1879, better known as 

 the Garden Palace Exliibition. It was opened on 17tli 

 September and closed on tlie 20tb April, 1880. At this display 

 Ramsay acted as a Judge in " Classes 604-610, Animal Pro- 

 ducts, Land and Ma,iine, used as IMaterials "*" ; for bis labours 

 in this capacity be was awarded a bronze medal. In a moment 

 of what was, no doubt, well meant biit at the same time the 

 weakest of policy, the Trustees transferred, towards the end of 

 1879, possibly in September,'' the whole of their valuable 

 Ethnological Collection, spoken of in the " Reports of Judges 



:' Quotation from a letter from Mr. ,T. J. Fletcher to the writer. 



•* Official Record, etc., 1882, p. xxv. 



s Official Kecord, etc., 1882, p. 9. 



'■ Official Record, etc., 1881, pp. cliv. and 7U7. 



" Because it was thrown open on 9th December, Prince of Wales" 

 Birthday (Coombes— Official Report, 1881, p. Ixxiv.) 



