I22 Notes and Comments. 
DR. BRAITHWAITE’S MOSS FLORA. 
Our old friend and contributor, Dr. R. Braithwaite, F.R.S., 
and author of the well known Moss'Flora, has sold his collection 
of mosses to the British Museum for £200. It is certainly a 
matter for congratulation that this unique collection is now 
in safe keeping, and available to students for all time. The. 
Herbarium occupies 800 sheets of drawing paper folio, one sheet 
to each species, which itself is first mounted on a square of 
letter paper and then fixed by gum at the four corners, some 
very variable species have two, three or four sheets, and entirely 
arranged according to the‘ Moss Flora.’ These drop into stout 
millboard boxes, fifty or sixty in a box; the lid is formed by 
another box a little larger so as to keep out insects, and if any 
do get in they quickly get out again. There are about 8,000 
specimens, some very beautiful, and they will rest near Wm. 
Wilson’s collection. In May next, Dr. Braithwaite enters his 
ninetieth year, and we feel sure all our readers join us in wish- 
ing him every good wish on that occasion. 
OUR NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 
Dr. A. Giinther, F.R.S., has prepared a useful ‘ General 
History of the Department of Zoology from 1856 to 1895,’ 
as an appendix to * The History of the Collections contained in 
the Natural History Departments of the British Museum,’ 
and this has been published by the Trustees.* There are 
many points of view from which this interesting history might 
be dealt with, but perhaps the part which appeals to one most 
is the extraordinary record of the various and numerous 
zoological collections which have found a permanent resting 
place in our National Museum. 
TWO YEARS ACQUISITION. 
A fair sample of the record of additions to the Zoological 
Department alone may be taken from the list relating to the 
years, 1888-9, when 113,357 specimens were added to the col- 
lection. Among them were, from the Challenger collection, 
2,315 crustaceans, 2,250 amphipods and izopods, 137 fishes, 
545 tunicates, 400 Pteropods, 357 sponges, and several hun- 
dred other specimens of various kinds ; a collection of marine 
animals from the China Sea, made by H.M.S. Rambler; a 
collection of deep sea animals dredged from the south-west 
coast of Ireland; mammals, etc., obtained by the Hunter 
expedition to Kilimandjaro and the Littledale expedition to 
the Pamir; 104 skulls of ancient Egyptians from Mummy 
Tombs; 11,000 North American birds; 108 specimens from 
the Riocour collection (purchased for £200) ; four large col- 
lections of birds; Francis Day collection of Indian fishes and 
+P Da Xe eOOnea5/— 
Naturalist, 
