1864.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 63 



"be permitted to say I have now the opportunity of seeing for the 

 first time in the more extensive and appropriate building provided 

 for it, has afforded me so much pleasure that I cannot help saying 

 a few words on what appears to me on this occasion worthy of 

 mention, a very important principle for governing the making of 

 such collections — and it must be very gratifying to all lovers of 

 natural history to see the principle adhered to in the structure of 

 this Museum so far as it has progressed. The principle I allude 

 to is that of utilizing the objects of a collection strictly with 

 a view to the purposes aimed at — exhibiting only specimens as per- 

 fect as possible of their several kinds, not neglecting artistic dis- 

 play, but at the same time sacrificing even that (when necessary) 

 to the conditions of order in a series, position, and other re- 

 quirements for rendering illustrative objects of natural history 

 really useful. Most modern collections made under favorable aus- 

 pices are known to follow this out in a degree that was deemed 

 useless, or which, perhaps, was not even thought of in former 

 times. I could name, sir, I think more than one old-established 

 museum where no expense has been spared, and yet where atten- 

 tion to this feature has been sadly neglected, occasioning injury to 

 science, and exciting wonder in the minds of intelligent and 

 scientific visitors, who go into them, perhaps, anticipating instruc- 

 tive information. Doubtless this is sometimes the result of sheer 

 neglect ; but more frequently it must arise from the too great lib- 

 erality and abundance with which particular classes of specimens 

 have been contributed. It is not so much the extent of a museum 

 that renders it useful in the cause of science, as attention to unity 

 of purpose, and to natural conditions. A bird, for ekample, poorly 

 stuffed, mounted in an unnatural position, placed in a bad light, 

 or thrown amongst others without heed of its species, however re- 

 markable its prototype in nature may be, is but ill-suited to en- 

 courage the study of ornithology, or to illustrate the collateral 

 facts of science which students of natural science are usually anx- 

 ious to verify. The grand rule so valuable, and carried out by 

 careful people in their ordinary arrangements, ' a place for every- 

 thing, and everything in its place,' is eminently of consequence in 

 the disposition of the objects of a museum. 



" For reasons such as are feebly indicated in the above remarks, 

 it is remarkable that people who are partial to ornithology are 

 sometimes heard to declare that they derive more real benefit and 



