74 ON NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS. 



principally casts, illustrating the famous case of the Ancestry of 

 the Horse. 



To all these collections which bear on natural evolution great 

 value is imparted by the long descriptive labels, which have 

 been drawn up by Mr. W. Cole. Not only here but all over the 

 museum there are large labels and tablets, admirably composed, 

 which make the collections self-interpreting, and offer to the 

 visitor, who cares to read them, an excellent epitome of informa- 

 tion on many branches of natural history. It is probable that 

 by the casual visitor as he hurries through the museum they are 

 unread and unheeded. Even the student who lingers over them 

 may have but a faint notion of the labour involved in their 

 composition. To put a scientific statement concisely yet clearly 

 and in popular language is a task, the difficulty of which is 

 known only to those who have had to face it. The labels in our 

 museum are neat and legible, being either printed or type- 

 written, whilst they appeal by their simplicity of expression to 

 that unscientific individual, our familiar friend, who passes now- 

 adays as the " man in the street." An American has said that 

 our labels ought to be clear enough to " attract the newsboy and 

 the boot-black." u I hardly think our critic would find much 

 fault in this respect at Stratford. 



The prime object of the Essex Museum is, of course, to 

 illustrate the natural history of the county. The greater 

 part of the Invertebrata are represented by a large and 

 valuable collection of shells, Crustacea, insects and other 

 objects which are, or will be, preserved in two mahogany 

 cabinets that have recently been placed in the museum. These 

 beautiful cabinets contain upwards of ioo glass-topped drawers, 

 each having a stop at the back so that it may be partially drawn 

 out by the visitor, and its contents inspected without fear of 

 damage. In this way the specimens will be preserved from 

 deterioration by exposure to light, and yet remain freely accessible 

 to the public. 



Notwithstanding the efforts of the curator there are still 

 many gaps in the local collection, and members of the Essex 

 Field Club may be reminded that they have it in their power to 

 render the museum very material aid by contributing from the 

 spoils which they collect. Addressing the members of the 



14 Mr. Karlan J. Smith on " Popular Museum Exhibits." Museums Association Report 

 of Oxford Meeting. 1897. p. 65. 



