Slii PEOCEEDINGS, 



FlEST CONFEEEXCE. 



Local Museums. — The discussion on Local Museums, to which 

 the first Conference was devoted, was opened by Mr. Cuthbert 

 Peek, who dealt with the subject under the following headings : — 



1 . Methods of registration and cataloguing. 



2. The protection of specimens from injury and dust. 



3. The circulation of specimens and type-collections for 



educational purposes. 



4. Central referees for nomenclature and classification. 



5. The most satisfactory methods of making museums attractive. 



6. Museum lectures and demonstrations. 



7. The relations between museums and County Councils. 



1. Methods of Registration and Cataloguing. — Having examined 

 several systems before arranging a small general museum of his 

 own, Mr. Peek came to the conclusion that for small museums the 

 card catalogue was the most convenient, on account of the ease 

 with which changes and additions could be made. Sectional letters 

 distinguished the various classes of objects. Each, specimen when 

 received had a number allotted to it under the letter assigned to 

 the section. In order that the number might remain attached 

 to tbe specimen, he painted the letter and number on the specimen 

 with red or white paint, and gave them when dry a coat of oil 

 varnish. When practicable it was a good thing to paste a photo- 

 graph, showing the locality at which the object was found at the 

 back of the card. Labels were often displaced by the careless 

 cleaner, but if the exact dimensions of a specimen, with a rough 

 outline of it, were entered on the back of the card, identification 

 would always be possible. 



2. The Protection of Specimens from Injury and Bust. — On this 

 subject it was necessary to remind the delegates that every closed 

 case was practically acted upon by changes in the pressure of 

 the atmosphere (in the same way as the cistern of a mercurial 

 barometer), and that it drew in or gave out air and dust with 

 every change of pressure. Professor Miall, at the Yorkshire 

 College, had a rectangular hole cut in the top of each case and 

 this was covered with damiette. This filters the air passing in. 

 He (Mr. Peek) felt inclined to use a tube filled with cotton- wool 

 for this purpose. It must be remembered that enough air should 

 be admitted at the authorized entrance to prevent supplies from 

 being sucked in through the inevitable joints and cracks elsewhere. 



3. The Circulation of Specimens and Type- Collections for Educational 

 Purposes. — The importance of educating the eye was now generally 

 recognized, and the London scientific societies are more and more 

 introducing the optical lantern at their evening meetings. The 

 advantage of the circulation of loan collections illustrating the 

 subjects taught in elementary schools was therefore obvious. At 

 Liverpool a system had been elaborated by which loan collections 

 were prepared and circulated among a large number of schools. 

 Experience had shown that the collections should be arranged in 



