132 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 
located here. As regards the land and fresh water ones of this 
district, they are unrepresented as yet in our cases. If a beginning 
were made, the trays (some at least) recently fitted in one of the 
side cases, may be utilized for their display. I entertain little doubt 
our young collectors, who are interested in such things, would 
willingly present us with any they can spare from their own cabinets. 
Conchologists can help us by presenting things not required for 
personal collections. The dead shells frequently cast aside as 
utterly worthless frequently contain parasites attached (overlooked 
by conchologists). They are much sought after by others deeply 
interested in the like organisms of former ages. Parasites un- 
questionably existed in old Cambro-Silurian seas . I am in posses- 
sion of a Brachiopod beautifully preserved, with many distinct 
ones fixed on the exterior of the shells, and Mr. A. E. Walker pointed 
out to me others which he obtained from the Devonian rocks of On- 
tario. Organisms thus indicated can scarcely be presented for your 
acceptance, since they are absolutely necessary to retain by their 
possessors for actual and accurate study. 
While we possess a very fine cabinet of botanical specimens, it 
is greatly to be regretted the birds of the district (with a few 
exceptions) are unrepresented. This should not be. It is necessary 
to have a considerable amount of skill in taxidermy to select the 
specimens for this department. You rarely find them mounted in a 
natural way, and frequently, when too late, you ascertain some im- 
proper material was used as a skin preservative. I have had some 
I bought in the Ionian Isles completely destroyed through such 
means. It would, therefore, be necessary to obtain any things 
required in this line from some reliable person. Mr. MclIlwraith 
informs us that mounting birds in cases is going out, they never 
looked quite natural, and the new plan, viz. ; stuffing, so as to represent 
the dead ones, has several advantages over the old way. 
No remarks are necessary with respect to our Butterflies, 
Insects, etc.; Mr. Moffatt’s name is a sufficient guarantee for their 
excellence in every respect. 
Deficiencies in Fossil Cases.—Visitors from other localities 
would undoubtedly expect to find a better and more complete 
collection of organic remains, more especially from our local rocks, 
than we possess. Previous to opening the Museum many 
thousand specimens were sent away from Hamilton to Europe, the 
