MUSEUMS. 55 



MlNERALOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 



The following are the acquisitions in this Department : — 



Eighty specimens of Rocks and associated Minerals, mostly from 

 Italy (F. 16. 7. 1900. 1-80) : purchased. 



One specimen of " Fresh-water Marble '" from St. Aniata Mines, near 

 Siena, Tuscany (F. 23. 7. 1900. 1); presented by Major-General 

 Robley. 



A small pebble of Mica Schist from Old Calabar (F. 28. 11. 1900. 1) ; 

 collected and presented by Mr. John H. Holland. 



The Aquarium. 



The Aquarium continues to be one of the chief attractions of the 

 Museum; special interest being taken in the Mud, the -Walking and 

 the Electrical Cat Fishes and in the various species of living Anthro- 

 poids, which have from time to time been on exhibition. 



Our efforts to keep in good health and condition the various tropical 

 animals, have proved very successful, but the want of proper 

 accommodation for living Mammals (Monkeys, etc.) has necessitated 

 the removal of most of them to the Zoological Gardens, London. 

 Important donations of West African species have been made from time 

 to time by Messrs. A. Ridyard, Chief Engineer of the S.S. "Niger": 

 S. Smith, Cameroons : G. W. Stokes, Eloby ; J. Newberry, Batanga ; 

 A. Forman, Rio del Rey : G. W. Christian, Cameroons and others. 



From year to year specimens of the Rainbow Trout (Salmo irideus) 

 have been hatched and reared in the small Fish Hatchery in the 

 Aquarium, and it is of great interest to record that some of the young 

 fry so raised and which were placed in enclosed ponds at Bromborougb 

 have evidently nourished, as specimens of the fish, some 8 or 9 inches 

 in length, and which can only be about two years old, have recently 

 been taken. This is of great importance as bearing on the question 

 as to the possibility of Rainbow Trout breeding in enclosed waters, in 

 reference to which experiments on a large scale are now being conducted 

 in different parts of the country. 



