South African Museum : Report for 1945

Abstract

THE Trustees' report of the South African Museum, Pretoria, stresses the unsatisfactory financial position of the Museum, and it is pointed out that this greatly handicaps the development of its educational and cultural services. An interesting analysis of attendance figures appears in the acting director's report. This shows that during the year, 118,103 white, 56,402 coloured, and 10,499 native adult members of the population visited the Museum. The same report makes note of a special exhibit illustrating soil erosion, and pleads for similar educational propaganda in other African museums. The report of the Department of Fishes and Marine Invertebrates records the catching in South African waters (for the first time) of an adult deal-fish (Trachypterits) 7½ ft. in length. In the Department of Botany, Mr. G. J, Lewis carried out work in connexion with plants and allergic diseases in the Cape Peninsula. He also published illustrated descriptions of two new species of Iridaceæ (J. S. Afr. Bot., 11,108 and 117).