78 
NATURE NOTES 
Walker, Hampstead ; Miss Secretan, Tufnell Park ; Miss Steele, Wormwood 
Scrubs ; Samuel Buckley, Esq., Edgbaston ; Mrs. Frankland, Northfield ; 
Frank Welch, Esq., Springfield Road, N.W. 
Donations and Subscriptions.— The Council beg to acknowledge the 
following Subscriptions over 5s. : E. A. Bristow, Esq., 10s. ; Alfred Deed, Esq., 
10s. ; G. B. Milne-Redhead, Esq., 10s. ; Clifton H. Regnart, Esq., 7s. 6d. ; 
G. H. Horne, Esq., 7s. 6d. ; O. V. Aplin, Esq., F.L.S., 7s. 6d. ; Samuel 
Buckley, Esq., 21s.; Mrs. A. Cook, 10s. ; Miss C. Alston, 21s.; F. II. Daly, 
Esq., M.D., J.P., 7s. ; Miss Underwood, 10s. 
NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES. 
Birmingham and Midland.— Mr. Richard Kearton, F.Z.S., delivered 
a most interesting lecture on “ Wild Nature’s Ways,” at the Town Hall, 
Birmingham, on March 12, before a large audience, under the presidency of 
the Lord Mayor, Mr. Alderman Hallewell Rogers. At the close the lecturer, 
who illustrated his subject with a splendid series of lantern slides, was heartily 
thanked. 
Croydon. — On February 5, Dr. William Martin, M.A., delivered a lecture 
at the North Park Ladies’ College, entitled, “Gilbert White at Selborne and 
Ringmer.” New slides of Selborne were exhibited from photos of out-of-the- 
way “ bits ” of the neighbourhood, and the little-known village of Ringmer in 
Sussex was represented by some excellent slides of “ The Delves,” the residence 
of Mrs. Snooke, and the original home of Timothy the Tortoise. 
On March 5, a lecture was delivered by Mr. Edward Connold, F.E.S., on 
“ British Vegetable Galls,” illustrated by the lantern. 
SELBORNE SATURDAY AFTERNOONS. 
On February 28, nearly sixty Selbornians visited the Soane Museum in 
accordance with the arrangement by the Curator, G. H. Birch, Esq., F.S.A., 
who was, unfortunately, too unwell to conduct the party. The visit proved, 
however, of very considerable interest, owing to the unique collection of curios 
and works of art brought together by the indefatigable founder of the Museum. 
It is difficult in such a bewildering variety of exhibits to say which excited the 
most attention. The paintings by Hogarth and Van Dyck, and the moving wall 
on which some of them were hung, the Egyptian sarcophagus of almost trans- 
parent alabaster, probably the finest discovered by Belzoni, the statuary, the 
pottery, the architectural models, the cameos, the old illuminated books, would 
each in turn have provided a sufficient attraction. To appreciate these and all 
the other exhibits of this unique mansion would require weeks. We can only 
look forward with pleasure to the time when the Curator’s kind offer to again 
welcome Selbornians to the Museum can be accepted. 
About forty Selbornians were present at the Natural History Museum on 
March 14, and were conducted to the Gallery of Whales, where Dr. A. Smith 
Woodward, F. R.S., gave a very interesting demonstration. He first mentioned 
that many people erroneously considered these animals to be fishes, because they 
live entirelv in the water, whereas they are really mammals, or warm-blooded 
animals. They possess no gills through which they can respire under water, but 
have blow-holes or nostrils at the summit of their head, through which they 
breathe when they come to the surface, producing the usual spoutings. The two 
chief varieties of whales are the Spermaceti whale, or Cachalot, and the whale- 
bone whale. Dr. Woodward pointed out that owing to the oily nature of the 
flesh or blubber (which is the true skin, and is never less than seven or eight 
inches thick) it is impossible to preserve it, and hence the models now shown 
were built up from very accurate photographs taken soon after capture. The 
eyes of the whale are particularly small for its size and are behind the angles 
of the mouth. Further back is a small hole which represents the external ear, 
appearing to be of a rudimentary character ; but the internal part of the ear is so 
perfect and well developed, and the power of hearing so great, that it is capable 
of communicating with its companions several miles away. The fin of the whale 
appears on its side as a small flipper, which when denuded of its covering is 
