The Scotttish Naturalist. 351 



it imparts an interest to his leisure and to his rambles that they 

 never before possessed. 



That this method has been followed by the Perthshire Society 

 in forming their museum is abundantly evident, and an example 

 has been set by its members to all of us. All honour to them for 

 what they have done, and most of all to Dr. Buchanan White, to 

 whose example and care the success of that museum is chiefly 

 due. 



Every society in the Union may take example by the Perthshire 

 Society, and encouragement also, for what one has done others 

 may surely do. Most of all is there need of so good an example 

 in Aberdeen and in other centres where museums have still to be 

 formed. The fact of there being a University in our midst in 

 Aberdeen seems almost to be a hindrance to the progress of such 

 a movement here ; for too many seem to believe that the exist- 

 ence of the means of teaching in the University is all that can be 

 desired for the city, and that nothing" besides need be aimed at. 

 But in an institution devoted to teaching, the museums must be 

 adapted to the kind of instruction given in the classes in connec- 

 tion with which they are formed ; and their contents are therefore, 

 as a rule, too technical to be of much interest to the general 

 public, who have not had the preparation required to fit them to 

 benefit fully by the instruction that a specialist, or even a student, 

 can derive from them. In Aberdeen there is need of a well- 

 equipped museum apart from the University, and the need is no 

 less in other towns. 



We have made a commencement in Aberdeen, so far as having 

 obtained the use of a room in the present Free Library Buildings. 

 Cases are now in the room, and a beginning to the collections 

 has been made \ and now it rests with those who believe that a 

 public museum in Aberdeen is a thing worth making an effort to 

 obtain, to contribute the necessary funds and specimens to secure 

 its success. 



My connection with this movement in Aberdeen has led me to 

 inquire into the question of what a provincial museum should 

 consist of; and in what way a good museum is likely to benefit 

 the public of the district in which it is formed, and what ought to 

 be the relation of the local natural history society or societies to 

 it. It is important that there should be no misunderstanding as 

 to what should be included, for the want of a definite plan of 



