I'ials siill required for tLe preparatiou of liis proposed -work 

 on the birds of that most interesting couutry. ]Mr. John 

 T\'biteliead, vrho has added so much to our knowledge of the 

 zoology of the Philippines, proposes to return to the same 

 country very shortly^ in order to continue his researches in 

 a field Axhich he knows so well and in Trhich he takes such 

 great interest. Before leaving^, he has placed in the hands of 

 the Editors of ' Tl;e Ibis' a series of valuable field iK)tes on 

 the birds collected during his last jora-ney. These will 

 appear in the fortlicoming volunae of our Jtiurual. ]\Ir. Alfred 

 Sharpe. C.B.^ who is shortly returuiiig to his post in Xyasa- 

 land^ promises to continue the employment of collectors in 

 different parts of that Protectorate, the zoology of which 

 he, following in the footsteps of Sir Harry Johnston, has 

 already done so much to investigate. 



Finally, I may remark that, as will be seen on turning 

 over the pages of contents in the last volume of ^The Ibis,'' 

 we have correspondents interested in our favourite subject in 

 nearly every part of the world, and that the great difficulty 

 of the Editors is to compress so many valuable contributions 

 wuthin the compass of an annual volume. 



Before resuming my seat, I wish to say one more word. 

 Our Government, in connection wutli that of Egypt, has just 

 taken possession of an enormous district in Africa, probably 

 nearly equal to half Europe in extent. It sternly warns all 

 intruders off, even when they are alleged to be of " no poli- 

 tical influence. '^ When it comes to regulate the administra- 

 tion of these new territories, it is to be hoped that the 

 interests of Natural History will not be entirely overlooked. 

 Although the Upper Xile districts have been traversed and 

 investigated by many well-known naturalists, tiiere is still 

 very much to be done in these teeming regions of animal- 

 life. We Englishmen are ready and willing to undertake, 

 by individual efforts, much work that in other countries is 

 provided for by State-Explorers; but it is not too much to 

 expect that our Government should at leas^t help us by 

 providing adequate facilities and occasional assistance, and 

 even, perhaps, by contributioi.s to the expensive process of 



