BEITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY). 123 



has, among other reasons, led the Trustees to agree to collabo- 

 rate with a Swedish Committee in carrying out a scheme for 

 the establishment of an Anglo-Swedish Scientific Station in 

 Graham Land for a survey of the geology of the district and of 

 the rich marine fauna and flora in the surrounding waters. The 

 specimens obtained during this investigation, which it is hoped 

 will extend over a period of five years, will be shared between 

 the Natural History Museum and the Swedish Committee. 



In the mean time, the Museum has co-operated with the 

 Colonial Ofiice in the despatch of a marine biologist to South 

 Georgia to study whales in the Antarctic. Major G. E. H. 

 Barrett-Hamilton, the gentleman appointed to this mission, 

 left England in the first week of October, and was accompanied, 

 as bis assistant, by Mr. P. Stammwitz, the Museum taxidermist. 

 Major Barrett-Hamilton unhappily died suddenly, from heart 

 failure, on the 17th January 19 i 4, when he had been at work 

 in South Georgia for nine or ten weeks, but he was able in that 

 short time to make a number of observations which cannot 

 fail to be of value in any future work of inquiry in connexion 

 with the subject. 



Stranded Whales. 



The action taken by the Museum under the arrangements 

 made with the Board of Trade for obtaining prompt informa- 

 tion of the stranding of whales, porpoises, &c., on the British 

 coasts has resulted in nearly 80 such records during 1913. 

 It is proposed to print and issue a summary of these observa- 

 tions, together with outline maps of Great Britain and Ireland, 

 on which the records will be marked. The observations are to 

 be continued, and the leaflet issued last year to aid coastguards 

 and others in identifying specimens is to be supplemented by a 

 further leaflet. 



Army Biscuit Inquiry. 



During the past few years considerable damage has been 

 done to stocks of Army biscuit by various insect pests, especially 

 by the "Imported Flour-Moth" {Ephestia kuhniella Zeller). 

 At the request of the War Office a joint investigation has been 

 undertaken to ascertain how and where infestation occurs, and 

 whether any steps can be taken to avoid or minimise such 

 infestation in the future. A Preliminary Keport, by Mr. J. 

 Hartley Durrant, of the Department of Entomology, and 

 Lieut -CoL W. W. O. Beveridge, D.S.O., R.A.M.C, has been 

 published, giving the results of their investigations, and 

 demonstrating that the " Imported Flour-Moth "" (previously 

 known as "The Mediterranean Flour-Moth") is a species of 

 American origin. Having d'etermined the internal temperature 

 of biscuits during baking, it has been endeavoured to ascertain 

 the temperature which can be relied upon as tlie " lethal point " 

 {i.e., the lowest temperature fatal to the ova), and preliminary 

 recommendations have been made. An exhibit fully illustrating 

 this inquiry was on view in the Museum for some months. 



