NEW ZEALAND BIRDS' EGGS FOR THE MUSEUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND BIRDS' EGGS FOR THE MUSEUM.

Mr R. Gilkison, hon secretary of the Otago Institute, has received the following commtmication, which explains itself, from Dr Benham, curator of the Otago Museum: "B. Gilkison, Esq., Hon. Secretary Otago

Institute,

■"My Dear Sir.— l beg to acknowledge your letter, dated 15th July, covering Dr Fulton's lett&r to the president of the Otago Institute, wherein ha donates < his valuable collection of New Zealand birds' eggs td tho Museum, I beg to offer my best thanks to the ooiuicil of the- institute for presenting the collection to this Museum ; and to asstire both the council and Dr Fulton that the eggs will bo taken the greatest care of. The gift is a very generous onei as so many of our native birda are becoming exjiucit, an,d Uaj^ .0 01-

lection is of tho groare-t interest and inipoitancj to science, and i*,s intcie=t vni! increase _ss tho veavs p£.'s hv. lo jS "=0 mrcly that a kepn collector of (-uMacts of scientific interest can bring himself to'paii \\\\\\ tho-'? objects during Ins luetinic iiint ono oppreciatos rhe gift \ cry highly. As a nile, ou the death of the collector, the objects on which ho hns spent so much tim« I and, perhaps, money, aie neglected by his j heirs or scattered po as tn k>:? their ! scientific value. When I ha-ie been ableto j arrange for the purchase of a Mv.tab'e I cabinet in which to loclgr. th-e cgs;--^ I sha'l I bo glad to receive them from Dr Fulton. — ! I am, sir, yours faithfully, W. B. Bexhav, curator."

Among the many lesions which we trust will be brought home to the British people by the war in the Far East (writes Admiral Sir E. R. Fremantlo in the Navy League Journal) not the lca=fc important is the j necessity for secrecy in our military and ! naval preparations.