104 
NATURE NOTES 
of the executive for progress and advance must be restricted. 
Such help could be tendered in two ways — personal effort and 
support, and by inducing friends to become members of the 
Society. Each member was a centre of a circle of influence, 
and it was this influence which the Selborne Society wanted and 
would attain if every member determined to help. The cause 
was too good to need more pleading, he would leave it to all 
who were Selbornians in fact and not in name only. 
As on previous occasions, microscopes were exhibited in the 
South-west Hall by the Fellows of the Royal Microscopical 
Society, Members of the Quekett Club, North London Natural 
History Society, the Selborne Society, and others, as follows : 
Messrs. Sydney C. Akehurst, Henry Austin, R. and J. Beck, 
T. N. Cox, T. D. Ersser, H. E. Freeman, E. C. Goulton, 
Alfred E. Hilton, Ernest Hinton, the Rev. H. N. Hutchinson, 
Messrs. Richard T. Lewis, B. T. Lowne, K. I. Marks, Milton 
Offord, H. Palmer, Max Poser, Charles F. Rousselet, G. W. 
Simmons, A. Smith, T. J. Smith, Chas. D. Soar, J. S. Soul, 
Alfred W. Stokes, C H. Stokes. G. A. Stokes, H. Taverner, 
W. R. Traviss, Charles Turner, J. Walker, W. Watson and 
Sons, John C. Webb, C. O. Whiting. 
Among the exhibits were three connected with Gilbert White. 
In the first place, members had the pleasure of seeing the original 
manuscript of “ The Natural History of Selborne,” which was 
kindly lent by the owner, Mr. Stuart M. Samuel, M.P. Lord 
Stamford contributed the original letters of John Mulso to 
Gilbert White, which have been recently published ; and printed 
copies of the book, which was edited by Mr. Rashleigh Holt 
White, were also on view. The third exhibit consisted of a first 
edition of “ The Natural History of Selborne,” which was shown 
with the others that have been collected by the Society. 
Perhaps the Natural History exhibit which attracted most 
attention was a cat nursing some young squirrels, which Mr. 
Alfred Heneage Cocks, M.A., F.S.A., F.Z.S., brought up to 
London on purpose for the Soiree. The cat herself was inter- 
esting, because she had in her the blood of a wild cat and of 
the Abyssinian cat. 
The British South African Company showed a number of 
Natural History specimens and a series of native curios. From 
Eton College Museum came a number of spurs and claws from 
the wings and feet of birds, with descriptive labels. The Hon. 
Walter Rothschild sent a number of handsome insects illus- 
trating variation, protective resemblance and mimicry. Messrs. 
Watkins and Doncaster had on view a series illustrating the 
same points, and Mr. Goulton’s specimens of living caterpillars 
serveci once more to bring protective resemblance forward. 
The Rev. Cation Horsley, M.A., brought a number of shells 
with him ; but unfortunately, Mr. G. B. Sowerby, who usually 
spends considerable trouble in describing shells to those present, 
was prevented by illness from attending. Mrs. McKay’s contri- 
