Letters, Extracts , and Notes . 
193 
strains/ 5 Mr. Lawrie is of opinion that “ by a continual 
careful mating and subsequent care of the progeny for 
several generations it is possible, not only to considerably 
increase the average egg-production, but also, by careful 
selection, to evolve a strain with robust constitution, 
immunity from disease, and marked fecundity/ 5 
We suppose that no Gallus banlciva in a state of nature 
would lay more than from 20 to 30 eggs in the year. To 
increase the number of eggs to 179 is, therefore, a remarkable 
piece of work. But this, it appears, can only be done in 
Australia. In our cold climate, we are told on the best 
authority that anything over 100 eggs from each hen is 
quite exceptional. 
Mr. Boyd Alexander’s new African Expedition. —Mr. Boyd 
Alexander is now departing on another important expedition 
to West Africa, and will leave England very shortly. The 
main object in view is the establishment of the fact that the 
chain of islands in the Gulf of Guinea, on the West Coast of 
Africa, which are situated at distances varying from twenty 
to forty miles from the mainland, formed at one time a part 
of the African Continent. 
Some years ago, Mr. Alexander during his exploration at 
Fernando Po demonstrated that the fauna of that island 
was closely allied to that of the mainland. As a result of his 
investigations on that journey, the explorer decided, when 
opportunity offered, upon pursuing similar investigations 
with regard to the remaining islands of that group. Litera¬ 
ture regarding these islands is scanty, and there has been 
hitherto practically no scientific exploration of them. 
Another important point is to discover whether these 
islands are of volcanic origin. 
Mr. Alexander will not be accompanied by any other 
European during his travels. His assistant, Jose Lopez, will 
leave England in advance, in order to organize the caravan 
of the expedition at Cape Coast. There being no labour 
available on the islands themselves, Mr. Alexander will 
ser. ix.—VOL. III. 
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