518 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Tue London steamer ‘ Oceana,’ which was returning from an inter- 
esting scientific expedition off the west coast of Ireland, was driven into 
Cork Harbour for refuge during the recent gale. The object of the ex- 
pedition, which was under the auspices of the British Museum, was to 
explore the ocean within 200 miles off the coast of Cork and Kerry for 
specimens of aquatic life, and whatever general knowledge could be obtained. 
Mr. Murray, who had charge of the operations, stated toa correspondent at 
Cork that the expedition had been most successful. Soundings were taken 
at various depths to a maximum of 2000 fathoms, as far as 200 miles west 
of the Fastnet, and several interesting and some curious specimens were 
procured. These will be arranged and classified, which must occupy a 
considerable time, and a report will then be written upon them for the 
British Museum.—Daily Mail. 
THE example of Mr. Rhodes is to be followed in Australia, the Victoria 
Government having determined to reserve 91,000 acres at Wilson’s Pro- 
montory as a huge national Zoo wherein all the native animals, which will 
otherwise soon become extinct, will be able to live and breed. It is, by the 
way, an example which might well be followed nearer home. The English 
“fauna” is not very extensive, but it is exceedingly interesting, and is 
rapidly diminishing. ‘There is plenty of land in the island which would 
answer the purpose admirably, and which is useless for almost everything 
else.—Globe. 
We have already (ante, p. 449) called attention to a proposed Zoological 
Society of Edinburgh. We are now glad to learn that as the result of a 
meeting held last week a committee has been appointed to formulate a 
scheme for a zoological garden in Edinburgh. It was mentioned at the 
meeting that letters asking information had been addressed to the secre- 
taries of various existing gardens, and it appeared to be the opinion that 
the two best suited to the requirements of Edinburgh were Dublin and 
Bristol, each of which has an income of about £3000 a year from an 
average of about 120,000 visitors. Prof. Cossar Ewart, in strongly com- 
mending the proposal, spoke of it as being painful to think that many 
children grew up in Scotland without having ever seen many of the 
animals they heard so much about. Forty years ago there was a zoological 
garden at Edinburgh, but it collapsed for lack of support from the public. 
Mr. SYMINGTON GRIEVE has again published ‘ Additional Notes on 
the Great Auk or Gare-fowl (Alca impennis, Linn.),” reprinted from the 
‘Transactions of the Edinburgh Field Naturalists’ and Microscopical 
