1898] NOTES AND COMMENTS 155 
which, of course, are the ones more readily seen. Isolation also he 
regards as an important factor in intensifying the effects of com- 
petition ; “the absence of direct communication with the mainland, 
and the consequent impossibility of frequent immigrations of dusky 
specimens from the houses on the adjoining shore, have allowed 
Natural Selection to carry on its weeding-out of unfavourable 
variations without disturbances of any kind.” 
There can be very little doubt that we have here a distinct race 
that has been evolved during the present century. Mr Jameson 
gives it no name, not even a sub-specific name, although it is at 
least as distinct from the species-norm as many named sub-species 
of Mus musculus. We think he is wise, for if the fashion of giving 
a name to every local race, confined perhaps to a few square miles 
as here, is to spread, we do not see where bounds are to be set. It 
is no absurd supposition that there may be many hundred such local 
races now in existence, each of absolutely independent origin, and 
yet not to be separated upon internal evidence. The fact is one to 
emphasise and to remember, but the multiplication of names is no 
great help. . 
With regard to the plate we would suggest that an actual 
rendering of the various colour-tints in separate squares would have 
been more to the point than this attempt at realism, with its dirty 
sand and impossible grass. 
THE RoyaAL BOHEMIAN MusEuUM, PRAGUE 
WE have frequently referred to the remarkable progress of the 
Natural History Collections in Prague since they were removed to 
the new Royal Bohemian Museum. We have now before us the 
official Bericht of the Museum for the year 1897. Notwithstanding 
limited means and many discouragements, the enthusiasm of the 
director and his staff continues to overcome all difficulties; and 
those who know the collection will agree with us when we say that 
for convenience of arrangement and excellence of labelling it is now 
one of the foremost in Europe. The cases and fittings naturally 
lack the elegance and ornamental character of those in the larger 
and more richly-endowed institutions elsewhere; but so far as the 
original investigator is concerned, they are all admirably arranged for 
ready reference, while to the general scientific public they cannot 
fail to impart such elementary instruction as they desire. When 
funds fail for the purposes of this arrangement, Dr Anton Fritsch, 
the distinguished director, himself provides the means, and during 
the past year he has made a donation of 1000 florins towards the 
installation of the palaeontological collection. That the Bohemian 
public appreciate his efforts may be inferred from the circumstance 
that no less than 78,149 persons visited the museum during 1897 ; 
