1894. ^-^^ OXFORD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM. 129 



and taken out when needed in the laboratories or elsewhere. A 

 comparatively small number were shown in table cases. Now, 

 two collections only are kept : one, the larger, for educational 

 use in the laboratory and for research, the other, and smaller, for 

 public exhibition. It is with the latter that we have to deal in 

 the present sketch, and with the system adopted for its display. 

 The specimens are placed in their proper systematic order to 

 illustrate not only their structure from a general morphological 

 point of view, but also those important characters of systematic 

 value whereby animals are classified — in other words, not only to 

 show the anatomy of animals and to state that they are divided 

 into classes, orders, and famihes, but also to show how and why 

 they are so divided. Extinct forms are placed next to their living 

 relatives,' and treated in precisely the same manner, thus breaking 

 down that artificial barrier some people are apt to erect between 

 fossil and living animals. When neither specimens nor casts can be 

 obtained, semi-diagrammatic black-and-white figures are set up 

 in their place. Similar drawings are shown of important objects too 

 small to be visible to the naked eye. 



Each object is placed on a rectangular tablet covered with black 

 in the centre, with a half-inch margin of soft greenish blue colour all 

 round. The specimens are provided with printed labels, and narrow 

 red " pointers," or lines ; when in spirit, they are placed (labels and 

 all), attached to a glass plate within square glass jars, blacked behind. 

 Moreover, each tablet has a small label at the top right-hand corner, 

 giving the scientific and popular name of the specimen, its date, 

 catalogue number, locality, and source (by whom presented, or from 

 whom obtained by purchase or exchange). As already stated, each 

 specimen is placed in its systematic position, and the families or 

 larger groups are marked off by dark red broad lines of separation. 

 The whole presents a toiit ensemble pleasing to the eye, yet not dis- 

 tracting the attention from what should, of course, be its chief object 

 — the specimens themselves. 



It is evident that the arrangement of the whole animal kingdom 

 in this fashion is a task of no small magnitude, which will require 

 some years to complete. Fortunately, in some instances, the help 

 of specialists has been secured, as, for instance, of Dr. W. B. Benham 

 for the Chastopods, Mr. E. A. Minchin for the Sponges, and Mr. 

 G. C. Bourne for the Corals. 



A set of six show cases, about twenty-one feet long, is devoted to 

 the Invertebrates. These cases are provided with sloping backs and 

 glass fronts on either side about four feet high above the ordinary 

 table level, giving in all some 900 square feet of exhibition space 

 (see Plate I.). Of the Invertebrates, a considerable number of 

 Polychaetes and Molluscs has been set up ; but the Sponges are the 

 only group the arrangement of which has approached anything hke 

 1 Professor Green has kindly lent many excellent fossils for this purpose. 



K 



