204 Miscellaneous. 



aided by several country gentlemen and coal-owners of the neighbourhood, 

 the present " Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and New 

 castle-upon-Tyne" soon sprang into existence ; the Duke of Northumberland con- 

 senting to accept the office of Patron, and the Bishop of Durham that of Presi- 

 dent. A proposal was made to the Literary and Philosophical Society to pur- 

 chase their museum as the nucleus of the new collection, which being declined, 

 the Natural History Society, unwilling to establish a museum in opposition to 

 that of the old institution, after some little difficulties in the negociation, came 

 to an agreement with the Literary and Philosophical Society to take charge of 

 and arrange its collection along with that about to be formed, and in consideration 

 of an annual payment to allow its members and their friends free access to the 

 museum. The bond of union was still further cemented of the purchase by the 

 Natural History Society of apiece of ground adjoining the other society's build- 

 ing, on which has been erected a handsome museum. This has been connected 

 by a short gallery with the library of the Literary and Philosophical Society, the 

 whole forming an elegant suite of rooms. The present museum, which was 

 opened in December 1834, contains an excellent collection of British birds, em- 

 bracing, with the rarities of the Allan Collection, a series of beautiful recent 

 specimens, preserved by the curator, M. R. R. Wingate, in a very superior style, 

 and with a minute attention to the anatomy and habits of the birds. Associat- 

 ed with these is a collection of their eggs. Of foreign birds there is a good and 

 rapidly increasing collection. The Mammalia and fishes are not numerous, but 

 among the latter are a few curious and rare species ; and a noble specimen of the 

 polar bear, admirably set up, is conspicuous among the former. It may be suf- 

 ficient to say of the other departments of zoology that the collections are very 

 respectable, particularly those of shells, insects, and corals. An entire room is 

 appropriated to geology, and contains an excellent collection of fossils, in which 

 the fossil plants of the coal formation hold a conspicuous place. A very fine 

 collection of minerals, the property of Mr Hutton, is deposited in the museum 

 for exhibition. Nearly the whole of the collections are now arranged according 

 to the most approved modern systems — not forgetting, at the same time, such 

 a disposition of the different parts as may make the whole agreeable to the 

 eye of taste. It is to be regretted that there are as yet no specimens of compa- 

 rative anatomy in this museum. This branch of study is becoming daily more 

 important, on account of its use in the natural classification of animals. We hope, 

 therefore, that some of the young students of anatomy connected with this town 

 will endeavour to supply the deficiency. 



The society has now been in existence six years, and consists of between two 

 and three hundred members. It holds meetings monthly, excepting in the sum- 

 mer quarter, when there is a recess. From the papers read at these meetings two 

 volumes of Transactions have been published.* As might be expected in a dis- 

 trict of great mining importance, the principal part of the papers are geological. 

 Many of these contain very valuable information connected with the operations 

 of mining. The articles on Zoology and Botany are chiefly descriptive of local 

 species. Among them are the following papers — On the Birds of Northumber- 

 land by P. J. Selby, Esq — on the Zoophytes of Berwick Bay by Dr Johnston 

 — on the land and fresh water Mollusca of the neighbourhood of Newcastle by Mr 

 Alder, — and a Flora of Northumberland and Durham, by Mr Winch. In con - 

 nection with this subject it may be permitted us to mention Lindley and Hut- 

 * A new volume is nearly ready for press. 



