166 
pictures cbe ae exhibited, and whieh would be explained by the 
"Eu absorbing moisture 
e preliminary toitte of the pictures was placed in the hands of 
Messrs. William Dyer and Sons, of 7, Mount Street, W., who are 
carefully pasted over at their edges with paper so that each frame is 
now practically airtig 
With the view of leavi ing no d neglected for enssteis. to 
posterity so popular and valuable a collectio , Her Majesty's Office of 
Works decided on dise lining the whole of the gallery with match- 
boarding. Upon the pictures were rehung in a more convenient 
way than had ben: originally employed. 
Opportunity was taken at the same time by Her Majesty’s Office of 
Works to make some Mie repairs in the gallery and to renovate 
the decorations. 
At the back of the inner oh om facing the entrance a posthumous 
bust of Miss North has been placed. This is the work of Mr. Conrad 
Dressler, and is the gift of Miss. Ne wie surviving sister, Mrs. Addington 
ymonds. 
® 
Tropical Africa.— The Germans are very active in collecting plants in 
Tropical Africa, and the ENS has received considerable additions 
from these sou urces, Am them a set of about 1,000 species collected 
by Mr. C. Holst, in the Cenbat country, in East Africa, situated in 
about the same latitude as Pemba bee This vierte was acquired 
urchase, and contains a lar, umber of new species, especially 
of trées and shrubs, Natéworiby^ among t : new abaoo us —_ are 
some new species of strepto the Cameroons we have a 
by Dr. A. Engler, the Director ‘of the Royal Fonai Garden, Berlin. 
There are several new genera, including a remarkable one belonging to 
he peiin ; but as they have not e been published it is 
undesirable to put their names on record here 
South Africa.--Professor Macowan, Government Botanist, Cape 
Colony, has presented the 15th and 16th centuries of the * Herbarium 
Bolus, and is now continued by him alone. The specimens, as usual, 
<1¢ excellent, and include many rare and desirable previously known 
plants, besides a number of novelties. Acanthosicy yos horrida, a 
leafless, spiny cucurbitaceous plant, native of the country near Waal- 
visch Bay, is one of the most interesting, This bears an excellent 
wholesome fruit in great poran, fs an almost sheo o rainless 
region ; but all attempts to sisse at Kew, as well as in the south 
of Europe, have failed. The ip? dedii A styphelioides is also 
represented by good editas. 
