COUNCIL FOR 1872 . 
11 
By purchase the Society have come into the possession of the 
valuable and extensive collection of fossils made by the late Mr. 
James Cook. This collection comprises nearly 2000 specimens 
of organic remains from the Chalk, Kimmeridge Clay, Oolite, 
Cornhrash, Lias, and other formations. Many of the specimens 
are very choice, and the whole is in excellent condition, and 
will, especially those from the Yorkshire beds, form a valuable 
and important addition to the cases of the Museum. Having 
recently come into the possession of the Society, there has not 
been time for an examination of them sufficiently minute to 
enable the Curator to do more than report upon them in a general 
manner. 
Ornithology. —The Curator of the Ornithological depart¬ 
ment has nothing particular to report upon, not a single 
specimen of any rarity having come within his notice. The 
Budston and Strickland Collections have been carefully in¬ 
spected by Mr. Wakefield, and where any ajipearance of moth 
existed, which has been the case in a few instances in the latter 
collection, the glasses were removed and the remedy applied. 
A singular phenomenon has occurred at Welham, near 
Malton, where Mr. Bower has some black Swans on his lake. 
The pair have bred the past year, and four eggs were hatched 
November 5th, the Australian summer, shewing that, though 
far removed from their natural climate, they still preserved 
the same instinct. The male bird sat on the nest when the 
female was off; the young birds were grey, with black beaks. 
Entomology. —Insects and Crustacea .—-There is nothing in 
this department which calls for special notice. The collections 
are in good condition, but no addition to them has been made 
during the last year. 
Comparative Anatomy. —The additions to our Comparative 
Anatomy during the year, are the Skeleton of Apteryx 
Communis; Trunk of the Jer Falcon; the Wing and Leg- 
bones of the Creat Penguin; Leg Bones and Skull of the 
Three-toed Sloth ; Vertebrae and feet of the Bull Frog, and the 
Leg Bone of a small Emys, all presented by Thomas Allis, Esq. 
