18 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



A small exhibit is being prepared to illustrate the transmission 

 o£ disease by rodents and other small mammals. 



A special exhibit o£ Birds Beneficial to Agriculture is also in 

 preparation, to which a Guide-book will be issued forming a further 

 number of the Economic Series. 



A series of mounted birds, collected by Officers of the 10th 

 Black Watch and 77th Infantry Brigade Headquarters on the 

 Balkan front during the years 1915-18, has been lent for exhibition 

 by Major P. Stormonth-Darling. 



Various arrangements were made for the security of the contents 

 of the Museum against hostile air raids, including the temporary 

 removal of the more valuable collections to places outside London. 

 Accommodation for the study collection of small mammals was 

 kindly provided by the Committee of the Royal Albert Memorial 

 Museum, Exeter ; the Sloane herbarium and a number of type 

 specimens and original drawings of plants of historical value as 

 well as a number of meteorites were, by the kindness of Lord 

 Rothschild, housed in his Museum at Tring. Since the cessation 

 of hostilities all the specimens removed have been safely returned 

 without loss or mishap. 



The following matters connected with the war have been referred 

 to the Natural History Museum for advice and information : — 



A report has been furnished to the l^ood (War) Committee of 

 the Royal Society with reference to an important practical question 

 in relation to the movements of certain fishes. 



Research work has been undertaken by a member of the staff 

 (Dr. W. T. Caiman) in connection with an inquiry into the corrosion 

 of cement, metals, and wood in sea water, initiated by the Institution 

 of Civil Engineers at the request of the Food (War) Committee of 

 the Royal Society. To illastrate this work an exhibit of boring- 

 animals is in preparation. 



Information has been given to the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries with reference to consignments of frozen fish sent over 

 from Canada for Army food purposes and determined as being 

 " Squirrel Hake," a species of fish very inferior to genuine Hake, 

 under which name the fish had b(,^en released from cold storage for 

 distribution. 



The attention of the Ministry of Food and other Departments 

 has been called to the possibility of utilizing whale flesh as a source 

 of food supply. 



In reply to an enquiry, information has been furnished to the 

 Admiralty with regard to the rate of growth of certain marine 

 invertebrates. 



Correspondence has continued to take place with the Colonial 

 Office in relation to a variety of subjects, of which the following 

 are the most important : — 



(a) The occurrence of poisonous fishes in the West Indies and 

 Malay States. 



(/>) The re-introduction of the Fur-Seal into South Georgia. 



