THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 123 



In the Amsterdam Zoological Gardens I saw an Echidna's egg on 

 exhibition collected at Maryborough by Dr. Semons. Mr. Roths- 

 child also had a magnificent specimen of the Ribbon Fish, from 

 New Zealand. He has 120,000 unmounted birds' skins, and large 

 collections of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. There is a guide to 

 the museum on the table here this evening. 



Next day about 30 members went to Woburn Abbey, at the 

 invitation of the Duke of Bedford, to inspect his Cervidce. They 

 are the finest collection in existence. He has about 3,000 head 

 on 1,500 acres, and some are very rare, and include, among 

 others, Pere David's deer, from China, Wapiti deer, elands, gnus, 

 zebras, American bison, and yaks. There were small herds of 

 all those I have mentioned, and it was an interesting sight to see 

 the zebras, yaks, Highland cattle, and large herds of fallow deer 

 roaming about the park, often mixed up with native companions 

 and various kinds of cranes, rheas, emus, kangaroo, &c. In the 

 lakes were many rare swans, geese, and ducks ; and in the coverts 

 pheasants of various kinds, also talegallas, which have recently 

 been placed there. We were also shown over the Abbey itself, 

 and saw the splendid collection of pictures, statues, &c. It 

 would take too long to state the various interesting objects 

 seen. 



This was the last of the Congress entertainments. I then took 

 the opportunity of going over the Continent — through France, 

 Holland, Belgium, and Germany, visiting the various museums 

 and zoological gardens, and learnt much of interest. In England 

 I looked over Mr. Crowley's unrivalled private collection of 

 birds' eggs and butterflies. When in the north of Scotland I 

 noticed flocks of crows, plovers, and gulls, all feeding together on 

 the ground in the fields. Before leaving London I was able to 

 give an illustrated lecture, entitled " Australian Bird Life," at the 

 annual meeting of the British Ornithologists' Union. They 

 kindly made me a guest of the club at the dinner held first, but 

 before that took place the committee of the club held a special 

 meeting, at which the rule was passed allowing visitors from other 

 countries to be invited to the dinner as guests of the club. Over 

 40 members were present, and after the tables were cleared 

 various members showed new or rare birds, and at 9.30 I was able 

 to commence. The club supplied the lantern, but I had my own 

 slides. The chairman, Dr. Sclater, said I had better finish my 

 lecture by 10 o'clock, as otherwise some of the members might 

 leave and disturb the lecture ; anyhow, when I had finished, and 

 the lights were turned up, it was 10 minutes past i i,and no one had 

 moved. Canon Tristram was among the audience, and wrote the 

 notice for the Field. It shows how the members appreciated 

 Australian natural history scenes. A few days after this I left for 

 Melbourne, and on the day of sailing the Natural History Museum 



