448 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



had offered the entire collection to the Trustees of the British 

 Museum, on the condition that it was not to be amalgamated 

 with the general collection of mounted birds there, but kept 

 distinct as the " Booth Collection," and we expressed a hope 

 that this offer would be accepted. 



We were not then informed of the fact that the collection 

 was intended by the testator to be kept intact at Brighton — not 

 in London, as we had been given to understand. 



This restriction placed so much difficulty in the way of 

 accepting the gift that, after due consideration, the Trustees of 

 the British Museum felt obliged reluctantly to decline it. In 

 pursuance of Mr. Booth's wishes, the Museum building and its 

 contents were then offered to the Corporation of Brighton, who 

 accepted it, and the 3rd November last was fixed for the ceremony 

 of a formal delivery of the gift by the executors. 



On that day, accordingly, a numerous company of residents 

 and visitors at Brighton assembled in the Museum building 

 in the Dyke Road, where they were received by the Mayor, 

 Mr. Mainwaring (who wore his robes and chain of office), and 

 the Town Clerk, Mr. Tillstone. Mr. George Brodrick, as solicitor 

 to Mrs. Booth, having formally presented the keys of the building 

 to the Mayor, the latter, addressing the meeting, said that they 

 were met to do honour to their deceased friend, Mr. Booth, and 

 at the same time to receive the valuable gift which he had left to 

 the town. They saw before them the work of a lifetime, a 

 collection unique of its kind, and he trusted that it might be the 

 commencement for the town of Brighton of such a Natural 

 History Museum as the world had not yet seen. He was quite 

 sure that when they looked carefully at the contents of the many 

 cases, they would be perfectly satisfied that though they might be 

 equalled, they could never be surpassed. This Museum would 

 be of very great advantage to the town of Brighton. Not only 

 would it add to her attractions, and afford another place in which 

 people could amuse themselves for hours, but it would form an 

 institution where Natural History could be learnt, and where 

 artists, particularly, could study the forms of British birds. 

 Pie was grateful to the Trustees of the British Museum for 

 having declined the offer first made to them, and glad to 

 see present amongst them on that day their representative in 

 the person of Professor Flower, the Director of the Natural 



