CURRENT NOTES. 213 



exactly Mr. Tutt's views regarding this vexed question. I may say 

 that the letter quoted was written with reference to a paper, which 

 I subsequently submitted to the Entomological Society, on the subject 

 •of certain butterflies {EupUca) occurring in S. India, which were 

 regarded by some authorities as a Miillerian combination. In this 

 paper I put forward the view, from my observations in India, that the 

 facts could be more simply interpreted by an environment acting 

 similarly on similarly constituted mechanisms, and it was unnecessary, 

 therefore, to bring in for their interpretation a complicated theory for 

 which little or no direct evidence had hitherto been produced. He writes : 

 "24.7.10. . . . Your paper seems to cover the ground exactly, and to 

 illustrate . . . what I have insisted on throughout, viz., that 

 insects with common habits and living in a similar environment tend 

 to become similar on broad lines. Each species has within itself a 

 wide range of variation capable of being drawn on under different 

 conditions of environment. Similar conditions draw out special 

 characteristics, and produce, therefore, general similarity. So-called 

 Miillerian associations, therefore, may be the results of similar pattern, 

 similar habitats, similar environment, when worked up locally. I do 

 not wish to underrate the possibilities of Miillerian mimicry, but this 

 museum made mimicry without knowledge of habits, environment, 

 etc., are to me anathema." 



These pithy sentences so characteristic of the man and his manner, 

 bring him most vividly before my mind. 



CURRENT NOTES. 



At the Congress of the South Eastern Union of Scientific Societies 

 held at St. Albans in June, the question of " the South Kensington 

 site " came before the delegates. Mr. W. Mark Webb proposed the 

 following resolution: "That this Union, consisting of 59 affiliated 

 Societies, and comprising nearly 10,000 members, view with dismay 

 the possibility that part of the land allocated to the British Museum 

 (Natural History) for its extension should be taken away to form the 

 site of a new museum, and respectfully suggest to the authorities 

 that they should seek another piece of ground, which would allow for 

 the proper development of both the existing and proposed institutions." 

 As an amendment it was proposed to refer the matter to the Council 

 for consideration at some future date, but it was pointed out that it 

 was a most urgent matter, and after a considerable discussion and the 

 consultation of a rough plan of the site and relative positions of the 

 museums, it was very apparent that if the proposals of the Government 

 were carried out, the future extension of both Museums would be 

 impossible. The members present were practically unanimous in their 

 support of the motion which was then carried new. con. 



This resolution has been sent to the Prime Minister and also to 

 the Trustees of the British Museum, and no efforts are being relaxed 

 to bring about an arrangement which would be satisfactory, both as 

 regards the present accommodation in the two museums and as afford- 

 ing full room for their natural growth and extension. It is agreed on 

 all sides that the present temporary accommodation of the Science 

 exhibits is most inadequate and unsuitable, and that even if permanent 



