A FAMOUS COLLECTION

Evening Post, Volume 65, Issue 65, 17 March 1924, Page 7

A FAMOUS COLLECTION

INSECTS FROM THE PACIFIC,

(FROM OUfl OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ; LONDON, sth February Recent examination of the Banks collection of butterflies and insects at. the Natural History. Museum.. South Kensington, the oldest classified collection H 1 TrP I'^1'^ S^] s that' thauSh more than 150 years old, the fragile exhibits are perfect. . . Owing to lack of space,. hundreds o£ cases o£ rare and beautiful specimens are ranged along the corridors, and Sir Joseph Banks's wonderful collection is now in one of the galleries the ordinary public rarely see. There is scarcely a flaw in the'forms and colouring of the thousands of creatures which were brought by the famous entomologist from all parts of the world. '' Some of the specimens are scarcely bigger than a pin's head, and the butterHies vary from the smallest to the largest, and. the bloom on their outspread wings is as lino to-day as in the days oi George 11. Sir Joseph Banks, who was bora in 1743, was a wealthy collector and enthusiastic scientist, and fitted out his first scientific expedition to Newfoundland and .Labrador in 1766, bring- ! ins his insects back with him. Shortly after he returned, Captain Cook went to observe the N transit of Venus for Iba Government in-the Pacific; Ocean. Sir Joseph joined the expedition in the Kiuleuvoui-. and »(, grcuf expense took with him all lhc'iipp:iruljiß fw collecting the section now lodged in i|i/> museum, even hiring artists to paint (he insects. .His voyage lasted three 'years,'' <uid much hardshiu was incurred *■