Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/370

342 by liberal offers of specimens from a few individuals, the Committee persevered, and after some opposition and many discouragements, the little Museum was opened with the commencement of the year 1842. Its progress has quite equalled our humble expectations. The working classes are much pleased with it, and on the evenings when it is opened to members generally, it is gratifying to see the pleasant little family groups who attend, evidently interested by what they see, and grateful for the privilege thus afforded."

In one of the Reports now before me, the Committee of the Sudbury Mechanics' Institute and Public Library, state that their object is the instruction of the members in the various branches of science and useful knowledge, to the exclusion of party politics and subjects of local controversy: and in conducting the Institution, their primary aim is general usefulness, and their design is to provide information in a pleasing and attractive form,—to interest while they instruct. With the view of providing for the use of the members more suitable apartments than they already possessed, they purchased premises in Friars' Street, near the Market hill, and erected a building which they believe will afford the required accommodation at a very reasonable cost. With some important additions recently made, the Museum now contains about 310 specimens of British birds (comprising nearly 170 different species), with the eggs of 160 species;—upwards of 350 foreign birds, including a pair of the rhinoceros hornbill and Argus pheasant, some beautiful plantain-eaters, two or three species of the jungle-fowl from India, scarlet ibis, Indian herons, bustards, cuckoos, rollers and kingfishers, Virginian eagle owls, European vulture, the wandering albatross, pelican, crane, toucans, and a variety of parrots, orioles, tanagers and humming birds. A few British quadrupeds, amongst which are an otter, a polecat, two marten cats or pine martens (from Ireland), and a young seal. An insect-cabinet, containing twelve drawers of British and foreign butterflies, moths, &c. An extensive series of British land, freshwater and marine shells, and some foreign shells, besides minerals, fossils, reptiles and other curiosities. Amongst various objects which possess additional interest from having occurred in the neighbourhood, may be mentioned a fine otter, killed near Sudbury, a black hare, killed at Glemsford, a white stoat (better known as the ermine) killed at Henny, a pair of curlews killed in the neighbourhood, a pair of the Arctic tern, killed on Friars' meadow, and a spotted woodpecker.

The following are the terms of admission. The payment of four shillings per annum confers upon a subscriber (if of the working