SESSION 1894-95. xlv 



and free libraries would tend more thau auytliing else to further 

 that object. 



A considerable amount of discussion followed, the principal question 

 considered being the legality of grants being made to museums 

 by County Councils. It was elicited that, although in souk; cases 

 aid had thus been directly given, it was only strictly legal to 

 make grants in aid of lectures and demonstrations in museums, 

 or for tlie purchase of technical books, apparatus for lectures, and 

 specimens required to increase the efficiency of the lectures. It 

 will thus be seen how advisable it is in establishing a provincial 

 museum to provide a lecture-room and arrange for lectures to be 

 given. Sir John Evans doubted whether grants to museums would 

 be permitted to pass by the Government auditors, though a grant 

 of technical books might be allowed, and he said that inquiries 

 should be made to the Science and Art Department at South 

 Kensington as to the legality of any proposed gxant for the 

 purchase of specimens to illustrate lectures. Mr. H. Coates stated 

 that a large addition was being built to the Perth Museum, and 

 a grant had been obtained from the County Council on condition 

 that specimens suitable for agricultural teaching should be provided. 

 These specimens would be iised for lectures and demonstrations. 

 Otherwise, they had been advised they could not obtain the grant. 



Some useful hints on the management, etc., of museiims were 

 also given in the course of the discussion. Sir John Evans recom- 

 mended the American system of card- catalogue, a perforated card 

 through which a wire passed, so that the cards could not be 

 disturbed. He spoke of the difficulty of keeping dust out of 

 cabinets, for they exhale air whilst the day is warm, and inhale 

 it, with dust, in the cooler evening. As regards referees for 

 nomenclature and classification, he said that any curator might 

 consult the keepers of the various departments of the British 

 Museum at South Kensington or at Bloomsbury, with a certainty 

 of receiving prompt and valuable assistance. Eef erring to the 

 obliteration of labels, the Rev. 0. P. Cambridge and Dr. Garson 

 recommended for preparations in spirit that labels should be 

 written m pencil on good paper and be placed inside the glass jars. 



The only other question which arose was as to the difficulty 

 of deciding upon what specimens were worthless and should be 

 got rid of, and Sir John Evans thought that the opinion of the 

 secretary or curator of a museum ought to be deemed sufficient. 



The following resolution was proposed by Sir Douglas Galton, 

 seconded by Dr. Brett, and carried : — 



" That in the opinion of this Conference it is desirable that 

 local natural history societies, and those in charge of local museums, 

 should place themselves in communication with the Technical 

 Instruction Committee of the county or borough in which they 

 are placed, with the view of obtaining pecuniary grants towards 

 extending technical knowledge by means of lectures or by demon- 

 strations in museums." 



