Interesting Lecture by Mr. A: de C. Sowerby: Support forthe Shanghai Museum At the Catholic Club, on Monday, Mr. A. de C. Sowerby entertained the members with an interesting lecture on ''Nature's Camoutlage:" He has lectured on this subject before, but this time he enlarged om his previous remarks and illustrate ed them not only with blackboard. drawings, but also with mounted specimens. Mr, Sowerby made it very clear where military camoufage originated, for he showed how birds, beasts, insects and fishes were all protected by Nature with all the colour schemes practised: by the military artist. Some blend in altogether with their immediate: surroundings, others focus atiten-. tion on a single sma]] bright spot. or line, thereby detracting attention from the bulk and others rely on_the pure "dazzle."'
Some are truly remarkable. There is a gaudily coloured buttter-fly which, if spotted by a bird, instantly closes up within two outer wings which, by themselves, are absolute reproductions of dead leaves, even to the veins and a shrivelled appearance. Others conform in build to twigs, leaves, eto, A little owl was shown which, perched on a tree, looks no more than a knotted protuberance of the trunk. A bittern was exhibited standing erect in a tuft of dry, rushes, from which it could not be distinguished at a distance.
Perhaps tthe most interesting was a little fish. Its ordinary colour harmonizes with the water plants amongst! which it lives and, drifting lazily though them, it cannot be distinguished. If surprised amongst rocks, however, it can instantly change, like a chameleon, to their colour, or to sand or any other surroundings.
At the conclusion a resolution was proposed and carried with enthusiasm, to the effect that the members unanimously supported the movement for a museum, art gallery and library for Shanghai and that they wished their views on this subject to he brought to the notice of the Municipa) authorities.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.