36 



young of rare birds, and only the other day he knew that 

 two gentlemen offered two guineas for a nest of the perigrine 

 falcon. But this Society did not want to do that : they 

 wanted the eggs, and not the birds : it was their object to 

 protect, and not to destroy. Mr. Lee had kindly stated 

 that, having a number of these eggs, he should be happy to 

 give any member of this Society a specimen. In tendering 

 the vote of thanks to Mr. Gordon, he said if any present 

 would pay a visit to the Dover museum, they would find a 

 charming collection, and would be well repaid the trouble. 



The President then said that as the party that day had 

 been divided— one portion pursuing their investigations on 

 the land, the other upon the sea, and as Mr. Bottle had 

 had charge of the marine section — perhaps he would be 

 good enough to inform the members what he and his party 

 had done upon the sea that day. 



Mr. ALEXAXDiiH Bottle said before he entered upon what 

 they had done upon the sea, he asked to be permitted to 

 thank the company for kindly assembling at Dover again 

 to venture upon an excursion to St. Margaret's. They had 

 not been so unfortunate as last year, as the weather had 

 been much more favourable ; although they had not escaped 

 a contretemps ; for inasmuch as last year they had a diffi- 

 culty in getting the dredge on board the steamer, this 

 morning they did not get it at all, and they were, therefore, 

 obliged to make shift with a local dredge, which, not being 

 fine enough for their purpose, they unfortunately dredged 

 nothing. Every available means had been adopted for the 

 purpose of getting the dredge which they had on board put 

 into order, and they had been most persevering in their 

 attempts to secure some specimens, but, he was sorry to say, 

 without effect. With regard to their proceedings of to-day, 

 he had to report that he took the marine section of this 

 Society, under the guidance of their good harbour-master, 

 Mr. Irons, safely to St. Margaret's Bay, and then steamed 

 on with the remainder to opposite Deal Pier and thence to 



