2 I 8 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



A museum catalogue should be adapted to include the following: 

 I. Exhibited Collection. 



a. Valuable specimens, or single representatives of a species, 



not necessarily in good condition. 



b. Permanent specimens which may reasonably be supposed 



to be the best procurable. 



c. Indifferent specimens retained only until better examples 



are procured. 

 TI. Duplicate Collection. 



d. Reserve — Specimens nob at present required for exhibition, 



but too rare to be parted with. 



e. Store — Specimens available for exchange. 



III. Type Collection, if not exhibited. It is also necessary to 

 indicate whether the specimens are mounted, in skins, 

 or are preserved in fluid. 



As implied by the name, the system consists of indexing by 

 means of loose cards instead of by the ordinary book method. A 

 card is issued for every individual specimen, and upon it written 

 the name of the object and all information concerning it ; it is in 

 fact a copy of the collector's ticket, together with the registration 

 and other marks, as Gallery, Duplicate, Type. These cards stand 

 on edge in drawers specially constructed to receive them, and may 

 be arranged in any way desired : the height of the card is less 

 than that of the drawer, so that a deeper series may be inserted, 

 these latter, standing up above the others, are to receive the 

 names of the Orders or Families, etc., and may be of distinctive 

 colour. When properly placed, a card or series of cards may be 

 inserted anywhere or a similar series withdrawn without disturbing 

 the general arrangement. 



This system, as I have applied it, is not intended to take the 

 place of the ordinary register, but rather to be a key to the 

 collections : the register would record all specimens received in 

 chronological order, but the changes made in the collections would 

 be indicated by the card catalogue. 



I have here done no more than indicate the system, for the 

 arrangement of a catalogue depends so much on the nature and 

 number of the specimens dealt with, and the fancy of their 

 custodian. Personally, I have adopted two cabinets for each 

 section, one to contain the cards of the exhibited, and the other 

 those of the duplicate collections. 



For full information as to the working of the card system as 

 used for library purposes, tlie publications of the Boston Library 

 Bureau (U.S.A.) and of the Manchester Museum may be consulted. 



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