REPORT

OF THE

MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE

Natural History Society,

FOR THE

HALF-YEAR,

ENDING CHRISTMAS, 1868.

"TUM MIHI NATURE LIBEAT PERDISCERE MORES:

QUIS DEUS HANC MUNDI TEMPERET ARTE DOMUM.”

MARLBOROUGH:

PRINTED BY C. PERKINS, TIMES OFFICE.

1869.

PREFACE.

ONE of the soundest and most encouraging points in the progress of our Society, is the extent to which donations continue to flow in to the Museum. On a later page a complete list of such contributions during the past half-year will be found. It will be enough here to remark with pleasure on the kind interest which has been displayed towards the Society by some of our neighbours in the town of Marlborough. Mr. Baverstock, in August last, presented us with an enlarged photograph of the President, of remarkable excellence and fidelity. We have also received presents from Mr. Parker, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Gauntlett, and Mr. Chivers, the latter giving a curious silver plate, of Chinese workmanship, probably an honorary badge conferred on a soldier by the Mandarin of his district.* Our special thanks are also due to the following donors beyond the limits of the Society, Rev. A. Butler (late Head Master of Haileybury), Rev. C. Soames, Dr. Walker, Mr. Dixon, and Dr. C. W. Elwes, who has kindly sent several contributions of interest.

Notices of all kinds that the season and the weather have permitted have been quite up to the average of vigour and interest, and the attend. ance at the fortnightly meetings, taking the half-year throughout, has been satisfactory.

It has been brought as a charge against our proceedings that the Report contains more papers by outsiders or by Hon. Members, than by

This plate was sent for explanation to Rev. G. E. Moule, B.A., of Ningpo, in China, at present making a stay in England, who kindly sent a full account of the inscription.