4 
the Metropolitan district, or to the Southern counties of 
England ; consequently the Midland counties present an 
almost unworked field, which must contain very many 
interesting novelties. 
Warwickshire from its high state of cultivation has but 
few waste spots, on which Insects usually abound, but its 
varied soil and numerous woods will doubtless yield great 
results to the efforts of a zealous collector. Those of our 
members living in the country are earnestly solicited to 
preserve and forward to our Curators any specimens that 
may fall in their way. Lepidoptera may be captured in 
pill-boxes, and killed by means of a few drops of Chloroform, 
Coleoptera and other orders should be put into a bottle in 
which has been previously placed a small quantity of 
bruised laurel leaves, the prussic acid contained in the 
leaves not only very quickly killing the Insects, but also 
preserving them fresh, and in a state for setting for a 
considerable length of time. 
ORNITHOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 
When the repairs of the Museum were brought to a close, 
the room containing the collection underwent a thorough 
cleaning, and the specimens were taken out, examined, 
carefully cleaned, and returned to the cases. The windows 
of the rooms, the approaches to which were awkwardly 
blocked up with cases, were relieved of their obstructions, 
the specimens which were in these cases being transported 
to their proper places in the series to which they respectively 
belonged. But the most important change which has been 
made in this department, is the separation of the British 
from the Exotic species. In nearly all the extensive 
Natural History Museums in Europe the native species 
are now fostered as a distinct collection. Such has lately 
