Letters, Extracts, Notices, &^c. 679 
crouching^ with drooping wings_, and slightly raised tail, 
puffed out the feathers of her sides and flanks. When the 
love-song had reached its height, it abruptly ceased, but 
before the male had time to recover his normal position the 
female had darted off. The male closely pursued her in and 
out of the bushes, and both were lost to sight for the time 
being. Presently the male returned to his high perch and 
commenced to sing. 
For the greater part of a morning I watched this pair of 
Robins, and twice saw the male go through the same curious 
performance. On each occasion the scene lasted for a 
minute or more. I made a series of rough sketches of the 
birds' positions while they were still fresh in my memory, 
and from these Mr. G. E. Lodge has prepared the accom- 
panying illustration (p. 678), which gives a very exact idea 
of the male uttering his love-spell, though it is impossible 
to convey the curious swaying motion of the body which 
accompanied it. I had never before witnessed this curious 
courting habit, and I do not And mention of it in any book 
on British birds to which I have referred. 
Yours &c., 
British Museum (Natural History). W. R. Ogilvie-Grant. 
1st July, 1902. 
Report on the British Museum [Natural History) for 
1901. — The following extracts from the Parliamentary 
Report on the British Museum, issued in 1902, relate to 
the National Collection of Birds, and to the progress made 
in its Arrangement and Description in 1901 : — 
" Great progress has been made during the past year with 
the re-arrangement and exhibition of the birds in the Public 
Gallery. Two-thirds of the collection have now been put 
into order, the old and faded specimens having been 
removed and replaced by beautifully mounted examples, 
representing the leading families and genera of the class 
Aves. The mounting has been entrusted to Mr. Culling- 
ford, of Durham, and Mr. G. Pickardt, both of whom aie 
celebrated for their correct taxidermy of animals. 
" Two new groups of British Birds with their nests and 
