43 



It is not, however, for his valuable writings that many of 

 us hold our late friend most dear ; his heart was ever open 

 to the call of anyone desiring knowledge, which he gave 

 freely and in so delightful a manner that he endeared himself 

 to all who knew him. 



In March last Joseph Merrin died at Gloucester, at the 

 age of 82. Though of late years he seems to have been less 

 active, yet at the time of his death he was engaged on a 

 county list of the ' Victoria Natural History.' He will be 

 most widely remembered by his useful " Lepidopterists' 

 Calendar." 



I now come to the list of new species which have been 

 added to our Fauna during 1904. Though the Lepidoptera 

 remain stationary, the year is remarkable on account of the 

 additions to other orders. 



In considering the Mammals, the most important event 

 has undoubtedly been the discovery of the Orcadian vole 

 {Micyottis orcadensis, Millais), a species entirely new to science. 

 It is very much larger, much darker, and the fur has a softer 

 and denser appearance than that of the common field vole, 

 but the fundamental difference lies in the molar teeth, which 

 are of a distinctly different pattern. This highly important 

 addition to the Fauna of the world was noticed by Mr. Millais 

 on the Island of Pomona, the main island of the Orkneys, 

 I believe two or more years ago, but was only brought 

 forward definitely this year. The account of the discovery 

 and specific description will be found in the "Zoologist," 

 July 15th, 1904, page 242. 



One expects to see new insects discovered in our islands 

 every year, but the recording of a mammal new to science 

 is an important event. 



The chief event recorded in the annals of British ornitho- 

 logy for the year is the breeding in Britain, I cannot say 

 where, as this is very properly not disclosed, of the black- 

 necked grebe (Podicipes )iigricollis). Mr. Aplin writes of 

 this in "Zoologist"; as there were more nests than one it 

 looks as though the birds were really established. 



The only new species in Mollusca recorded as British this 

 year is, I believe, Paludestrina anatina (Drap.). This has for 

 our Society a special interest, as Mr. Le Brockton Tomlin 

 discovered it in some shells gathered from Oulton Broad by 

 Mr. Claude Morley ("Journal of Conchology," 1904, p. 11). 



Another record seems worth mentioning, that is, the 

 occurrence at Box Hill of a left-handed specimen of the 

 Roman snail Helix pomatia. This was picked up by Mr. 



