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the collection had been allowed to fall into a state of complete neglect, and 

 that immediate steps be taken to remedy such a state of affairs. The 

 meeting in question was held at a time of year when few members are in 

 town, and, so far as I know, Mr. Smith was the only one present who has 

 had occasion to consult the collection. It has been to me a painful duty 

 (from causes I refer to lower down) to have to study a portion of the 

 collection many times during more than fifteen years, and I visited it only 

 a few months ago. Therefore, as an old member both of this and the 

 Linnean Society, I considered it my duty to make an independent attempt 

 to reconcile Mr. Smith's statement with my own previous experience, which 

 was utterly opposed to his, as set forth in the reasons upon the strength of 

 which the resolution was passed. I examined, two days ago, nearly the 

 entire collection, and saw nothing whatever to justify the step taken by this 

 Society. T believe the collection is in the same condition as it has been for 

 probably a quarter of a century. There are not the slightest signs of Acari, 

 Fsoci, or Jnthreiti, and, in this respect, it will compare favourably with the 

 collections possessed by most of us. There are, here and there, and 

 especially in one or two drawers of Hymenoptera (the only portion of the 

 collection inspected, as I am informed, by Mr. Smith), traces of mould, 

 and, in some cases, of recent growth, but only to an extent that the 

 application of a brush would at once remove it, and suffice -for the most 

 minute examination of external structure. I have stated that the ' mould' 

 appeared to be recent, but I do not wish to infer thereby that the 

 predisposing causes have been equally recent. Mr. Smith cannot be 

 ignorant of the fact that the spores of the Fungi producing what is 

 commonly known as 'mould' may rest dormant for several years, until 

 some exciting cause force them into activity. In my own experience 

 I have had painfid proof of this. Some specimens obtained from a 

 certain old collection would occasionally show signs of 'mould,' although 

 placed under the same conditions as a multitude of others not affected in 

 any way ; and at last I think a cure was affected by the application of an 

 arsenical solution. I mention 'this because I feel sure that the traces of 

 fungoid growth noticed by me do not result from recent neglect. 



" And this brings me to a point at which it is advisable to touch upon 

 the history of the Collection and its present scientific value. We all know 

 that the unworthy son of an immortal father allowed, from sordid reasons, 

 the collection formed by Linne to pass out of his native land. We all know 

 that the Swedish Government (becoming too late aware of the treasure 

 they were losing) sent a frigate after the vessel conveying the collections to 

 England, but in vain. Now, supposing these collections not to have been 

 tampered with by the younger Linne (of which there is no proof), the fact 

 that they ever left the shores of Sweden cannot be sufficiently deplored. 

 As you all know, they came into the possession of Sir J. E. Smith, a 



