432 [Proc. B.isr.F.c, 



Gallway temporarily took the chair until the arrival of the Vice- 

 President (Mr. R. Patterson, M.R.I.A.) 



Mr. Orr, in introducing his subject, said: — "The subject 

 of my paper should appeal to many of those present who, like 

 myself, are collectors of various natural history objects, and 

 who may be troubled by the problem of how tO' satisfactorily 

 preserve and display them. Most of us have experienced the 

 loss of good specimens by having them insufficiently protected 

 from atmospheric influences, insects, and other causes. Those 

 of you who have collections of butterflies and moths or of birds' 

 eggs mounted — as they too often are — in drawers or boxes 

 without adequate protection know the anxiety which visitors 

 not versed in nature lore can inspire you with when they insist 

 on drawing attention to the beauties of your best specimens 

 with pointed finger. If my paper shall in any way assist such 

 collectors by showing them a simple way out of a difficulty my 

 object in preparing it will be fulfilled." 



By "common objects" he, as a field naturalist speaking to 

 field naturalists, meant such objects as land, fresh water, and 

 marine shells; butterflies and m,oths ; beetles; birds' eggs and 

 nests, &c. A good mount for such objects should, besides 

 afl^ording the necessary protection, be dust proof and damp- 

 proof, and should admit of the object being properly examined. 

 By many naturalists mounts are deemed expensive luxuries, 

 and not at all essential ; but he held that if a specimen is worth 

 having at all it is worth the expenditure of the little time and 

 labour necessary in order tO' make a suitable mount for it. The 

 lecturer then went on to show how this object can be attained 

 simply, cheaply, and artistically. He passed round for inspec- 

 tion mounts with beetles, butterflies, birds' eggs and nests, and 

 gave a practical demonstration of their construction. 



The Vice-President, Mr. Gray, M.R.I.A., Mr. Gallway, 

 Mr. Foster, Mr. May, and Mr. Robinson all spoke after the 

 demonstration, testifying tO' the value of Mr. Orr's paper and to 

 the neatness of his mounts. 



Mr. G. Donaldson afterwards gave a demonstration of 

 another m.ethod of mounting specimens. 



