CHESIL BEACH AND FLEET MEETING. Ixxi. 



was situated in the dorsal fin of this shark-like fish, is from Lyme Regis, and 

 the various vertebrae are those of different local species of saurians, named by 

 Mr. Lydekker. There is also a tooth of Cimoliosaurm Portlandicus, which 

 appears to be very rare, as I do not see one mentioned in the British Museum 

 catalogue. There are some other local and miscellaneous fossils in boxes, but 

 not properly arranged. One box contains portions of Apiocrinites rotundus, 

 the pear encrinite from the Forest Marble beds we have visited to-day, and 

 there are others from the Oxford Clay, Fuller's Earth, and elsewhere. Anyone 

 who devoted himself seriously to it might make a large collection within a few 

 miles of this house. In connection with fossils I would refer to the fine pair of 

 horns of the Irish elk at the end of the dining-room (see "Proceedings" 

 XIX., 156), which, measured along the horns, give a span of 12 feet and show 

 16 tines. On the tables in the dining-room are spread out a selection of 

 drawers of butterflies and moths from my cabinets. Out of about 2,160 

 British species I possess in my collection about 1,940 (or probably more than 

 20,000 specimens), which include most of those that are practically obtainable. 

 (See "Proceedings" XIX., 157.) One of the smallest moths, Nepticula 

 auromarginella (" Proceedings " XI., 174), has never been found outside 

 the parish of Chickerell, and, as it is now a good many years since I dis- 

 covered it, entomologists have had every opportunity for finding it elsewhere. 

 There are several species of moths confined to Dorset, amongst them one 

 described as Tinea subtilella in our "Proceedings" ("Proceedings" XII., 

 161), which was discovered as a British species by Mrs. Richardson at 

 Portland. I only know of one other lady who has made a similar dis- 

 covery. A few insects of other orders are placed in the dining room to 

 illustrate the different forms, but of these I have only a very small collection. 

 Amongst other natural history objects I may allude to a collection of foreign 

 shells in 44 drawers upstairs, of which I have only been able to put out one or 

 two drawers, but the others can be seen by anyone who wishes. There are also 

 several cabinets of minerals (including a drawer of crystals of selenite from the 

 Oxford Clay here and a fine crystal of calcite from Derbyshire weighing 151b.) 

 and miscellaneous articles in the same room over the drawing room, which is our 

 general work room and museum. There are also two cases of stuffed birds of 

 paradise of eight species from the New Guinea district. All are rare, the one 

 with the long black tail (Axtrapla nigra) being especially so. Besides their 

 beautiful metallic colours they have usually strange tufts of feathers, or flowing 

 trains or curiously -shaped tails. These are all male birds, the females being 

 comparatively dull and ordinary looking. There is another case containing a 

 turkey's skeleton made by myself, an Aptenjx from New Zealand, and an 

 Ornithorhynchus from Australia, in which should be noticed the spur on the hind 

 leg. This spur is perforated like a viper's tooth and has a gland at the base 

 which appears to secrete a poisonous fluid. To turn now from nature to art. 

 You will see upstairs on the landing a case containing an interesting series of 

 English Bibles, about which you will find more detailed information in the labels 



