i8o 
Notes and Comments. 
ent stages of this metamorphosis from the first spinning up of 
the larva, to the fully developed chrysalis ; about ten days 
later, the butterfly breaks out of the chrysalis, and one slide 
shewed it just after emergence. 
THE HULL ‘ zoo/ 
We have received the following letter from Norway, 
addressed to ‘ The Zoological Society of Hull ’ : — ‘ By the 
present I beg to ask if you should want to provide species of 
the very rare, animal the European beaver ( Castor fiber). As 
you know, this animal is now quite exhausted, and only in 
a river here (The Nidelven) are there a few families left. 
By applying to the Government, I should perhaps be" able 
to get license to catch a pair or two for your famous zoo/ 
As the Hull Zoo ceased to exist in i860, it seems to have been 
more ‘ famous ' than we had thought. 
‘ ANTHROPOID APE ' IN NORTH AMERICA. 
One must not too readily accept the sensational account 
in The Times, which quoted the report of Messrs. Osborn, 
Gregory and Matthew of the discovery of the last molar of 
a ‘ Primate ' from the Pliocene beds of Nebraska. It may 
well be that this single tooth (rather insufficient evidence) 
belongs to quite another group of mammals, as pointed out 
by Dr. Smith Woodward. Anthropoids in North America 
are highly improbable. Sensational newspaper articles are 
not science, and often unreliable from the unacquaintance 
of their writers with all the ramifications of the subject, 
and do a vast amount of harm among the uninformed and 
ignorant readers. 
THE GRANTHAM MUSEUM. 
We learn from the press that the temporary Library and 
Museum at Grantham was recently officially opened by Sir 
Charles Welby. The chair was occupied by the Mayor, who 
was supported by prominent townsmen. It is hoped when 
the conditions for building improve, a permanent home will 
be found for the collection of books and specimens. Mr. H. 
Preston gave a report with regard to the Museum, and stated 
that the idea of such an institution originated in 1885, when 
the Grantham Scientific Society was formed. They have all 
aimed to make the Museum local in character, and to illustrate 
the geological, archaeological and natural history features of 
the area. Already many valuable specimens had been placed 
in the collection. 
THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
Despite the protest in our March number, and the apt 
remarks in the Geological Magazine for March, the Geological 
Naturalist 
