xiv Proceedings . 



bird of paradise (Paradisin rar/rfiana) from New Guinea, an 

 unique specimen, being the first brought to Europe. 



On Wednesday evening, 27th April, 1892, a lecture was 

 delivered by Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.S., &c., in the Large 

 Public Hall, entitled " Curiosities of Bird Life." The lecture, 

 which was illustrated by eighty coloured pictures specially 

 designed by the celebrated Natural History artist, Mr. J. G. 

 Kealemaus, and shown by the oxyhydrogen lantern, treated of 

 many points of interest connected with birds. Dealing first with 

 merely curious birds, such as the Bohemian waxwing, &c., the 

 lecturer went on to describe the similarity that often existed 

 between birds of quite different genera, or even families, such 

 adaptiveness being in some way for the benefit of the altered 

 species. Dr. Sharpe also referred to the protection that many 

 species derive from their resemblance to other and quite different 

 objects, and instanced a most amusing case of a bird whose 

 marking made it almost indistinguishable among reeds, dodging 

 its pm'suer. Birds which had strong tastes for artificial decora- 

 tion were then referred to, and the bower birds were especially 

 described. The lecturer concluded with some most interesting 

 observations on the swallow, giving an account of their migra- 

 tory habits, and showing a series of pictures of towns passed 

 over by swallows in their autumn migration to the sunny south. 

 The lecture, which was arranged by the kindness of Mr. Crowley, 

 was greatly enjoyed by a large number of members and their 

 friends. 



The Twenty-third Annual Soiree of the Club was held at the 

 Public Hall on Nov. 23rd, and was in every way one of the most 

 successful on record. In the Microscopical Section 92 instru- 

 ments were exhibited, and the objects shown by them were far 

 above the average in point of interest. Some early forms of the 

 microscope were also displayed by Mr. Aldous. Mr. Crowley 

 exhibited yet another section of his magnificent collection of bird 

 and insect life. Amongst the botanical exhibits were a number 

 of dried plants shown by Mr. H. T. Mennell, which had been 

 treated with dry salicylic acid. The acid, which is in the form 

 of a white powder, is dusted over the flowers when they are put 

 in tlie press, and the process is repeated when the papers are 

 changed. The colours of flowers are well preserved by this method, 

 which seems better adapted to their fragile flowers, such as 

 campanulas (bluebells), and the like, than that of immersion in 

 sulphurous acid described last year. For fleshy flowers with 

 more substance, the latter process appears the best. With 

 salicylic acid, some flowers, e. fj., the bee orchis, are rendered 

 more vivid in colour than is natural. As is well known the blues 



