178 Letters, Extracts , Notices, i^c. 



whole of the Steere collection of Philippine birds has been 

 incorporated^ and much of the Seebohm collection has been 

 registered. 



" The Seebohm bequest consists mainly of Palaearctic birds, 

 including as it does the results of the many travels of its 

 late owner in Siberia and various parts of Europe. This 

 additional material has supplied a great want in the Museum, 

 which was previously very deficient in specimens from the 

 Palaearctic Region. In addition to these much-desired supple- 

 menta to the Collection of Birds, the Seebohm bequest 

 contains a fine series of Japanese and Chinese species, the 

 latter embracing all the Passerine birds of the Swiuhoe col- 

 lection. The larger specimens from the latter, such as Birds 

 of Prey, Cormorants, Herons, Wading-birds, &c., had been 

 given by Mr. Seebohm to the Museum during hi.s lifetime. 

 The series of Pheasants and Thrushes, of which Mr. Seebohm 

 had made a special study, are among the finest in the world. 



"The additions to the series of birds in 1896 were 21,900 

 in number, of which 16,950 were derived from the See- 

 bohm bequest. The principal smaller acquisitions were as 

 follows : — 



''A Golden Eagle {Aquila chrysaetus), from Sutherland- 

 shire; presented by Mr. G. T. Stibbard. 22 Geese, Ducks, 

 and Wading-birds from Holland ; presented by Messrs. T. 

 M. Pike and H. L. Popham, Esqs. QQ specimens of Eider 

 Ducks {Somateria mollissima) and Black Guillemots {Uria 

 grylle), illustrating the changes of plumage ; from North 

 Norway; purchased. A skeleton of the Dalmatian Pelican 

 {Pelecanus crispus) ; presented by the Director of Kew 

 Gardens. 8 birds from Nyasaland, including the type of a 

 new Francolin {Francolinus crawshayi) ; presented by Mr. 

 Richard Crawshay. 37 birds from Nyasaland ; presented 

 by Consul Alfred Sharpe. 72 specimens of birds from 

 Nyasaland, including the types of the new species Oriolus 

 chlorocephalus, Cnjptospiza australis, and Ci-iniger ollvacei- 

 ceps; presented by Sir H. H. Johnston, K.C.B. 35 speci- 

 mens from Lake Albert Edward district, Uganda ; presented 

 by Mr. G. F. Scott Elliot. 31 birds from Machakos, East 



