[posiQiT 'iafE^iroiia© 



(oanterhury^ Mareli 7, ^867- 



Reprinted from "Kentish Gazette," March 12, 1867. 



A meeting of the members of this flourishing Society was 

 held on Thursday afternoon, in the Lecture Hall of the 

 Museum. Guildhall Street, Canterbury, for the purpose of 

 hearing a lecture by Dr. James Murie, F.G.S., prosector 

 to the Zoological Society, on " Mermaids," or, the struc- 

 ture and geographical distribution of the order Sirenia. 



There was a large attendance — among whom were Col, 

 Coi, President of the Society, Mrs. Cos and party, Mr. 

 Lee, Mr. T. G. Peckham, Mr. PUbrow, C.E., Mr. John 

 Brent, jun., Mr. Linford, Mr. Rigden, Mr. S. Harvey, Dr. 

 Mitchinson, &c., &c. 



The President, in taking the chair, said the present 

 meeting was convened for the purpose of hearing a l«cture 

 from Dr. Murie, on the order Sirenia ; and from the ability 

 of the lecturer, as well as the interest and importance of 

 the subject, he was sure that Dr. Murie would receive a 

 patient and attentive hearing from all who were present. 



Dr. Murie then rose, and was received with applause. 

 In introducing the subject, he said— The first part of the 

 present lecture " Upon Mermaids," may give rise in your 

 minds to the idea of my delivering a sensational lecture 

 upon objects which all persons, be they young or old, look 

 upon as but a fireside story, or at best an ancient supersti- 

 tion ; but the concluding clause of the title " The structure 

 and Geographical distribution of the Order Sirenia," to 

 any person moderately acquainted with Natural History, 

 supplements, or is explanatory, of the real objects of the lec- 

 ture. It is truly interesting to trace the sequence of fables 

 onwards to the facts on which they originally have been 

 based ; it Ixjars a comparison with the growth of the 



