KEPOJttT OF THE COMMITTEE. 159 



bringing the present membership up to 300, a number far too 

 small for so extensive and populous a city as Newcastle. 



The receipts at the door for admissions have amounted to 

 £191 : 2 : 2, shewing a slight decrease in the number of persons 

 who have visited the Museum. 



The Museum has been open since May on Monday and Satur- 

 day evenings until eight o'clock, but your Committee regret to 

 report that the number of admissions has been so few that they 

 do not feel justified in keeping the Museum open later than six 

 o'clock. 



Tour Committee have also to report that many interesting and 

 valuable donations have been made to the Society during the 

 current year, a detailed list of which is appended to this Report, 

 but the following may now be specially mentioned : — 



The Herbarium of our late Yice-President, E. B. Bowman, 

 Esq., consisting of numerous portfolios of British and European 

 Plants, which will form an important addition to the collection 

 of British Plants, has been presented by Mrs. Bowman. 



Her Grace the Dowager Duchess of Northumberland has 

 obligingly presented the Dromedary Saddle and Trappings used 

 by His Grace the late Duke Algernon when travelling in Egypt. 



A selected collection of Australian Birds from Melbourne, 

 Victoria, specially procured for the Museum by Mrs. E. Barnes, 

 of Whitburn, has been presented by that lady. 



Among the numerous additions to the Bird Collection made 

 by Mr. John Hancock and others may be mentioned a specimen of 

 Pallas' Sand Grouse, which had been killed against the telegraph 

 wires at Cragside, and presented by Lord Armstrong. It was 

 one of the earliest recorded specimens of this year's migration to 

 this country of this interesting visitor. 



A group of Birds of Paradise, from New Guinea, presented by 

 Capt. Nevile B. Sayers, and mounted by Mr. J. Hancock, de- 

 serves special mention, from the beauty of their plumage and 

 the artistic manner in which they are displayed. 



Capt. Sayers also presented two large Clam-Shells (Tridacna 

 gigas), which he had procured from the Great-Barrier-Reef off 



