The Museum Gazette 



up to the age of sixteen.' " The biologist, however, sees 

 nothing absurd in these proposals. He desires the results 

 which are aimed at, and he does not expect to get them with- 

 out putting into action the forces likely to produce them. 



The following extract is from a Guide to " The General 

 Contents of the British Museum " published by Messrs. 

 Dodsley in 1762 : — 



" Some of my readers may be ignorant of the Manner of applying 

 to see the Museum ; for their Information I shall add, that fifteen 

 Persons are allowed to view it in one Company ; the Time allotted 

 is two Hours ; and when any Number not exceeding fifteen are 

 inclined to see it, they must send a List of their Christian and Sir- 

 names, Additions, and Places of Abode, to the Porter's Lodge, in 

 order to their being entered in the Book ; in a few Days the respec- 

 tive Tickets will be made out, specifying the Day and Hour in which 

 they are to come, which on being sent for, are delivered. If by any 

 Accident some of the Parties are prevented from coming, it is proper 

 they send their Tickets back to the Lodge, as no body can be 

 admitted with it but themselves. It is to be remarked, that the 

 fewer Names there are in a List, the sooner they are likely to be 

 admitted to see it." 



We have ventured repeatedly to apply the terms per- 

 sonality and individuality to the manifestations of peculiarity 

 occurring in trees of the same species. At p. 3 it is illus- 

 trated by one tree retaining its brown dead leaves through 

 winter, whilst its neighbour, and probably family relative, 

 loses them. This occurrence may be seen anywhere where 

 oaks are abundant, and it is especially to be noticed at this 

 time of year. Sometimes, but much less frequently, one large 

 bough will keep its leaves longer than the rest of the tree, or 

 will keep them green for a week or two after the rest of the 

 tree has been unable to protect them from senile changes. 

 This may occur when there is no reason to suspect any injury 

 or any form of disease. It is a personal endowment of the 

 bough concerned. That buds and their resultant twigs and 

 boughs are to some extent personal, and may develop pecu- 

 liarities which the rest of the tree does not show, has for long 

 been well known. Darwin has had much to tell us about it. 



