NOTES AND QUERIES. 233 



We are given to understand that at the recent sale by auction the Trustees 

 of the National Gallery were prepared to go as high as 3000 guineas to 

 obtain the work. The bidding commenced at £-3000, and the picture was 

 eventually knocked down to Mr. Henry Eaton, M.P. for Coventry, for 

 £6510 ! Inasmuch as this gentleman's Landseer collection is in the very 

 first rank, most people will rejoice to see it thus enriched. A gallery of 

 pictures by Landseer represents a great chapter in English art; for Sir 

 Edwiu was perhaps the most typical painter of his period, and one of the 

 least likely to decline in the estimation of his countrymen. 



Bewick's Engravings of Animals.— By order of the executor of the 

 last surviving daughter of Thomas Bewick, the engraved wood-blocks of his 

 ' History of British Birds,' « History of Quadrupeds,' ' iEsop's Fables,' &c., 

 were sold on the 6th May last by Messrs. Christie, Manson & Wood, and 

 fetched £-3350. 



The Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.— At the last meeting of the 

 Committee of this Institution Mr. W. S. M. D'Urban, who has filled the 

 offices of Secretary and Curator from the first foundation of the Museum, 

 felt obliged to tender his resignation. Mr. D'Urban 's second son has been 

 advised to proceed to California for the benefit of his health, and his parents 

 have decided to accompany him. It would be impossible to exaggerate the 

 services which have been rendered by Mr. D'Urban to the promotion of 

 science and art in this neighbourhood, or the loss which the city will sustain 

 by his removal. Many of our readers will remember his active and judicious 

 work in the establishment and maintenance of the Exeter Naturalists' Club. 

 To his remarkable ability and untiring energy are mainly due the excellent 

 condition and classification of the collections contained in the Museum. It 

 would be difficult to find any similar institution so well cared for. The 

 Committee are anxious to take some course that may prevent the severance 

 of Mr. D'Urban 's connexion with the Museum, and it has been decided to 

 urge him to withdraw his resignation and to take leave of absence for a 

 period of two years, if necessary, allowing his duties to be discharged by 

 a substitute. We are sure that Mr. D'Urban's friends will rejoice if this 

 plan can be adopted. 



The Davis Lectures, 1884. — The Davis Lectures upon zoological 

 subjects will be given in the Lecture Eoom in the Zoological Society's 

 Gardens, Regent's Park, on Thursdays at 6 p.m., commencing June 5th, 

 as follows: — June 5th, "Man, zoologically considered," by Prof. Flower, 

 LL.D., F.R.S.; June 12th, "Hands and Feet," by Prof. Mivart, F.R.S.; 

 June 19th, " Instinct," by G. J. Romanes, LL.D., F.R.S. ; June 26th, 

 " Hedgehogs, Moles, and Shrews," by Prof. Parker, F.R.S. : July 3rd, 

 " Dogs, Ancient and Modern," by J. E. Harting, F.L.S. : July 10th, " Birds 

 Nests," by Henry Seebohm, F.L.S. ; and July 17th, " Reptiles," by P. L. 

 Sclater, F.R.S, 



