COUNCIL FOR 1885 . 
13 
In addition, the Heed Library contains Grould’s gorgeonsly- 
illustrated Monograph on British Birds, Sowerby’s Mineral 
Conohology, a complete set of the Greological Magazine, hand¬ 
somely bound, and many valuable works by Darwin, Lyell, 
Owen, Murchison, De la Beche, Lubbock, Gregenbaur, Claus, 
De Koninck, and others. 
The Greneral Library has been enriched during the year by 
the addition of many valuable works—some by purchase, but 
the majority by presentation, notably by the United States 
Government, which, as in previous years, has generously granted 
copies of the valuable reports of the investigations carried out 
by the Government Geological Surveyors. 
It is hoped that, as the result of combined action on the 
part of the principal Provincial Museums of the country, grants 
may be made of the memoirs and other publications of our own 
Geological Survey. 
Department of Ornithology. —Mr. J. Backhouse, Junr., 
who has consented to give us help in this department, is super¬ 
intending the cleaning of the Hudston Collection of Birds, 
which was found to be in very poor condition. 
The eggs will next be attended to, several additions having 
already been made to the series which are waiting to be 
introduced. 
A few birds have been added by presentation, including 
a Hornbill from West Africa, presented by Mr. H. Louis, and 
two birds from Africa by Mr. H. J. Hopton, of St. Leonard’s, 
Surgeon Dentist; a small collection of birds from the Transvaal 
has been purchased of Mr. Anfield, of Feasegate ; and a speci¬ 
men of the Rustic Bunting {Emheriza rustled) has been purchased 
from Mr. Philip W. Lawton, of Easington, near Hull. This 
specimen is the first of this species wliich has been shot in 
England, and only one other has been obtained in the United 
Kingdom. 
Obituary.— In Dr. Thomas Davidson, F.R.S., not only has 
this Society lost one of its most illustrious honorary members, 
but the nation has lost one of its most earnest and devoted 
workers in science# 
