90 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Protective Resemblance and Mimicry, which is attracting so 

 much attention at the present time. The lower part of the 

 case is occupied by a group showing the simplest form of such 

 resemblance, i.e., general conformation of colour to habitual 

 surroundings. Various species of mammals, birds, and 

 reptiles, from the Egyptian desert, are arranged upon a 

 ground consisting of the actual rocks and sand among which 

 they were living. These specimens were collected in 

 February 1890, and presented by Mr. F. S. Worthington. 

 In the upper part of the case specimens are exhibited, chiefly 

 from the class of Insects in which the imitation both of the 

 form and colour of external objects is carried to various 

 degrees of perfection and complexity. Among these is a 

 group of Indian Butterflies {Kallima inachis) which, when 

 at rest with their wings closed, present a marvellous resem- 

 blance to dead leaves. Still further stages of complexity of 

 imitation are shown in insects which closely resemble, exter- 

 nally, others belonging to difl'erent families or even orders, 

 apparently for purposes of protection. This is a subject 

 which will admit of still further illustration as the necessary 

 specimens can be obtained. 



General. 



Professor H. Alleyne Nicholson, of Aberdeen University, 

 having been appointed Lecturer on Geology on the Swiney 

 Foundation for a term of three years, in succession to Pro- 

 fessor McNab, delivered his tirst course of lectures in October 

 last. The subject of the course was "The Microscope in 

 Geology and Palaeontology — with special reference to the 

 structure and origin of the stratified rocks." The lectures, 

 which, as usual, were twelve in number, were well attended, 

 the total attendance having been 1,889, or an average of 157 

 persons per lecture. 



These lectures are held at the Museum, and are free to the 

 public. 



The Trustees have urged on the First Commissioner of Her 

 Majesty's Works, fee, the desirability of extending the 

 northern boundary line of the grounds of the Natural 

 History Museum, so as to admit of the future development 

 of the building, by securing to the Museum some portion of 

 the land situated between the Imperial Institute Road and 

 the present boundary, recently acquired by the Government 

 from the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, and they 

 have been assured that full consideration will be given to 

 their views before a final appropriation is made of the land 

 in question. 



An off'er has been made to the Trustees by one of the Vice- 

 Presidents of the National Sunday League to place at their 

 disposal the sum of 500 I. to be applied in opening the Natural 

 History Museum to the public on Sunday. 



This off'er was taken into consideration at a General 



Meeting 



