8 
oxidized. The quantity of stone then extracted was extraor- 
dinarily great, all of which had once formed the substructure 
of buildings; and much yet remained to be excavated, which 
might be expected to yield objects of interest to the antiquary, 
and of a nature to explain the purpose of the buildings, the 
ruins of which covered so large a space of ground. 
From hence the party proceeded to Preston, to the residence 
of Mr. H. J. Ewes, who had kindly invited the Club, of which 
he is a member, to partake of luncheon at his house, and to © 
inspect his extensive collection of birds and plants. The gracious 
welcome which here awaited them from Mrs. Exwrs added to 
the satisfaction with which the visitors discussed a most excellent 
luncheon, after which they adjourned to an apartment in 
which were displayed the treasures of Mr. Exwns’s splendid 
ornithological collection. This collection contains over 3000 
specimens from all parts of Hurope and Asia, but is especially 
rich in the birds of the Hastern Himalayas, where large 
collections were made by Mr. Etwes in 1870 and 1876. The 
small State of Sikkim, which is little if any larger than 
Yorkshire, had yielded him a greater number of species than 
can be found in the whole of Europe, or in any part of the 
world of equal area; for it not only includes a vast range of 
elevation, from the level of the plains of India up to that of 
perpetual snow at 20,000 feet, but is in most parts clothed with 
a luxuriant vegetation. 
The distribution of birds in Asia generally, and in Sikkim 
particularly, were then explained and illustrated by specimens ; 
from which it appeared that the birds of the higher levels were 
mainly of European affinity; those from the middle region 
(1,000 to 4,000 feet) principally peculiar to the Himalayas; and 
that those of the lower valleys and hills belonged for the most 
part to genera found in the Malay peninsula and islands. 
Many curious and beautiful birds, and remarkable cases of 
geographical distribution having been commented on, the 
members of the Club proceeded to view the garden, which, 
though quite newly formed, and still unarranged, contained a 
collection of rare and interesting plants; among which the 
Ee 
