On the Formation of a Local Museum. 37 



Of the first part of such a course we need not here speak ; 

 our present purpose is to offer some suggestions on the 

 second ; and in so doing we cannot dwell too emphatically 

 upon the value of a local museum when containing well- 

 arranged and properly named collections of the natural pro- 

 ductions of the district in which it is situated. 



The late Professor Edward Forbes expressed the opinion 

 that it is to the development of provincial museums that we 

 must look in future for the extension of intellectual pursuits 

 throughout the land. Well-arranged museums of every kind 

 are now, in fact, an educational necessity in every highly 

 civilised State ; and many such exist. But in how few of 

 these do we find any portion of the museum set apart to 

 illustrate the productions of the district ? The very feature 

 which of all others would give interest and value to the col- 

 lections — which Avould render it most useful for teaching 

 purposes, has in most instances been omitted, or so treated 

 as to be altogether useless. 



Unfortunately, many country museums are little better 

 than raree-shows. They contain an incongruous accumula- 

 tion of things curious, or supposed to be curious, heaped 

 together in disorderly piles, or neatly spread out with in- 

 genious disregard of their relations. In nine cases out of 

 ten the only label attached to a specimen is " Presented by 

 Mr. So-and-so;" the object of the presentation having been 

 either to cherish a glow of generous self-satisfaction in the 

 bosom of the donor, or, under the semblance of doing a good 

 action, to get rid of rubbish that had once been prized, but 

 latterly had stood in the way. 



Curiosities from the South Seas, relics worthless in them- 

 selves, deriving their interest from association with persons 

 or localities, a few badly- stuffed quadrupeds, rather more 

 birds, some snakes in spirits, a stuffed alligator, part of an 

 Egyptian mummy, a few Indian gods, a case or two of 

 shells (the bivalves single, the univalves decorticated), a sea- 

 urchin without its spines, a few common corals, the fruit of 

 a double cocoa-nut, some mixed antiquities, partly local, 

 partly Etruscan, partly Koman and Egyptian, and a case 



