BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY). 21 



Much correspondence has taken place with the Colonial Office 

 relating to the protection o£ birds in the British C/olonies and 

 Dependencies, also with reference to such questions as food fishes 

 and poisonous fishes, the sponge fisheries in the West Indies, 

 investigation into whales and the whale fisheries in Southern 

 waters, and acclimatisation of animals in South Georgia. 



An exhibition illustrating the Biology of Waterworks has been 

 set up in the Central Hall to the east of the principal staircase, and 

 has attracted much interest. The importance of the scientific and 

 practical (questions connected with this subject is, perhaps, not 

 generally appreciated. It has been proved by sad experience in this 

 country and abroad, that in a water-supply which is not protected by 

 adequate filtration microscopic organisms gain access to the pipes, 

 and can there serve as food for animals which depend on this kind of 

 nutriment. The result may be the occurence, in the water-pipes of 

 a town, of masses of various fresh-water animals. Not only do these 

 tend to restrict the effective size of the pipes and block strainers and 

 taps, but their decay results in the fouling of the water and the 

 encouragement of the growth of bacteria. 



These and other points are illustrated in the Exhibition, to which 

 an illustrated guide-book has been issued (see p. 23). 



An exhibit of birds useful to agriculture is in preparation. 



The records of Cetacea stranded on the British coasts show no 

 sign of falling off in interest. The number of specimens reported 

 from various sources in 1917 was 31, or two more than in the 

 preceding year. Special mention may be made of the following 

 specimens : — A white-sided Dolphin, from Lincolnshire, believed 

 to be the first specimen to have been recorded from the English 

 coast ; a large Sperm Whale, from Caithness ; a Cuvier's Whale, 

 from CO. Clare ; a Risso's Grampus, from Devonshire ; and a 

 Common Rorqual, from the Scilly Islands. In Dr. Harmer's 

 Report on the subject (the fifth since the commencement of the 

 series) special attention has been devoted to the occurrence of 

 the Bottle-nosed Whale in British waters. The cordial thanks of 

 the Trustees are due to the Board of Trade and its Officers for the 

 great interest shown in the inquiry and the valuable assistance so 

 willingly afforded, as well as to many others who have given their 

 help. 



The project for an Anglo-Swedish Biological Station in Graham 

 Land in which the Museum was to have participated has been 

 abandoned in consequence of the war. 



Mr. A. E. Kitson, Director of the Geological Survey of the 

 Gold Coast, visited the Ameki cuttings of the new Port Harcourt 

 Railway, Southern Nigeria, and made for the Museum an important 

 collection of Eocene fossils, chiefly Mollusca, which will add much 

 to our knowledge of the geology of that part of Africa. The 

 necessary expenses were paid by Mr. W\ Heward Bell. 



The mounted specimens received during the year from the 

 Trustees of the Rowland Ward Bequest include fine specimens of 

 a male Tschego and a young female Gorilla, from the Bapindi 



