
CURATOR AND LIBRARIAN’S REPORT. 
Your Curator is pleased to record the sustained interest in the Society’s 
Museum during the past year, evidenced by many new and rare additions. 
A specimen of the Lesser Shrew (Sorex pygmaeus), presented by MR. 
T. A. CowARD, is worthy of special mention, being not only new to the 
Society’s collections, but, according to existing records, an exceedingly 
uncommon species in Cheshire and North Wales. It is also of interest to 
add that the Lesser Shrew is nowhere so abundant as the Common Shrew 
(Sorex vulgaris), and is the smallest British Mammal. 
Mrs Park YATES, of Ince Hall, near Chester, has presented a very fine 
male Black Grouse (7etrao tetrix), shot on the Ince estate in November or 
December of 1885. As a local specimen this is an important and valuable 
addition. 
A specimen of the Eared-Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) is worthy of note. 
Mgssrs. J. R. LE B. TOMLIN, G. ARNOLD, J. ARKLE, R. NEWSTEAD, 
and your CuRATOR, have added many new and interesting species to the 
Insecta. 
A new Life-History Group of the Green" Woodpecker (Gecinus viridis) 
has been prepared and mounted by your Curator from material collected at 
Broxton, Delamere Forest, and North Wales. The nest (containing five 
eggs) is composed of the actual pieces of wood hewn by the parent birds 
from inside of the birch-tree trunk. The female adult bird is presented by 
Mr. C. Crum. 
It will be seen, on referring to the list, that 416 specimens have been 
added to the collections, representing 299 species. 
The Local Education Authorities, in conjunction with the Museum 
Management Committee, have arranged for a third course of ‘‘ Nature Study ” 
Lectures to be given by your Curator to children selected from the higher 
forms of the Elementary Schools The first lesson was given on April 6th, 
1908, and the remaining lessons will be continued over a period of eighteen 
weeks. Below is a list of the subjects chosen : — 
(1) The Common House-Fly 
(2) The Redbreast and Nightingale 
(3) Sea Gulls of the Dee 
(4) Mice, Voles, and Shrews 
(5) Extinct Mammals of Britain (The Mammoth, Rhinoceros, 
and the Cave Bear) 
(6) Familiar Wild Flowers. 
