110 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



with representatives of the Colonial Office and other Depart- 

 ments as to the possibility of securing effective legislation on 

 the subject of the destruction of plumage birds. 



Board of Agriculture Advisory Committee. 



On the invitation of Lord Carrington, Dr. Harmer has been 

 allowed to join an Advisory Committee of the Board of Agri- 

 culture and Fisheries for the consideration of various questions 

 with which the Board are from time to time required to deal in 

 connection with scientific research in relation to agriculture. 



Expedition to Christmas Island. 



Mr. R. Kirkpatrick, an Assistant in the Zoological Depart- 

 ment, was granted a period of extra leave to enable him to go 

 on a mission to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, with the 

 object of obtaining for the Museum specimens of a certain rare 

 and valuable sponge known to exist in those regions. 



Mr. Kirkpatrick, who received considerable assistance from 

 the Christmas Island Phosphate Company, was successful in 

 attaining the object of his mission, and the Museum has thereby 

 secured several specimens of this interesting sponge. 



.^7'. F. C. Selous : Expedition to Central Africa. 



The Trustees have accepted an offer by Mr. F. C. Selous to 

 go early in 1911 on a mission to the Bahr-el-Ghazal and the 

 Lado district of Central Africa, with the special object of 

 obtaining for the Museum specimens of the Sudan eland 

 and certain other large mammals ; and have agreed to assist 

 Mr. Selous by making a small grant towards the expenses of 

 his expedition. 



Lord Walsingham^s Collection of Micro-Lepidoptera. 



Lord Walsingham's collection of Micro-Lepidoptera and 

 Entomological Library have been safely received at the 

 Museum, and accommodated in the room allotted to them. 



The increase of staff necessary for the proper management 

 of this large collection has been provided. 



(See last year's Return, p. 102.) 



Bequest. 



The Museum has received a valuable bequest of mineral 

 specimens from the late Frederic Tendron, F.G.S., for many 

 years Chairman of the St. John del Rey Mines, Brazil, by 

 whose will the Keeper of the Mineral Department was 

 requested to select from his collection any specimens con- 

 sidered worthy to be placed in the Museum. Altogether 

 .54 specimens were selected, including rich examples of gold 

 and a remarkable group of crystals of Pyrrhotite. 



