2468 The Zoologist — February, 1871. 



debris on the floor of the room which contained the collection 

 I found remnants of smashed glass-cases, and the heads, tails, 

 bodies, legs and wings of hundreds of birds and butterflies, some 

 of the rarest description, portions of which, with some horrid 

 looking fragments of shell that had caused the damage, I picked 

 up and brought home as sad souvenirs of my visit to Strasbourg. 

 I had forgotten to say that we found the owner of the shattered 

 collection in the Public Museum, of which I think he was curator, 

 who, with tears in his eyes, told us how many years he had been 

 in forming it, and that now he was ruined. I bought a i'ew birds 

 which he had saved from the wreck, and a kind-hearted young 

 Englishman, who had joined us on the way to Strasbourg, gave him 

 a sovereign, just to cheer him up. The Public Museum, I am glad 

 to say, was I believe not much injured, only the glass of a few 

 cases broken. Among the birds there I saw the great auk and a 

 magnificent specimen of the redbreasted goose, which the poor old 

 man of whom I have just spoken pointed out and seemed to value 

 more than the great auk, saying it was worth some hundreds of 

 francs. 



On my journey I kept a sharp look out for butterflies, but, owing 

 to the lateness of the season and the chilliness of the air, I did not 

 observe more than two or three common garden whites all the way 

 froiti Antwerp to Venice ; but on our return, when nearing Verona, 

 it being a remarkably fine day, I observed a great many of various 

 kinds flying along the banks of the railway, and having three hours 

 to wait at the Verona Station I thought I would occupy the time 

 iu catching some, and succeeded in netting many species, among 

 which were Edusa, Hyale, Lathonia and Daplidice, almost all, 

 I am sorry to say, much worn, but this might be expected on the 

 4th of November. I also caught many different species of locusts, 

 some of which I think were of the same species which visited 

 England last year. 



John Gatcombe. 



Lower Durnford Street, Stonehouse, 



Plyraouth, December 13, 1870. 



