and Laboratory Methods. 



2681 



In the administration of a museum the interior aspect embraces, first, the 

 control and guidance of its mechanical assistants, the engineer, janitor, etc., and 

 secondly, the stimulation of the scientific departments, by meeting their needs, 

 supplying their demands and recording their advances. In the former case it is 

 well to adopt the policy of personal responsibility. A janitor or custodian is to 

 keep the halls, windows, cases, etc., clean. He may also have charge of the 

 receipt and despatch of packages, freight, etc., keeping a registry of the same ; 

 he must watch the character and deportment of the men under him, and might 

 be expected to make a general report upon their duties and services. For all this 

 he should be made personally responsible to the director. 



The engineer attends to lighting, heating, plumbing, and, if such talent can 

 be secured in the same man, inspection of the physical condition of the build- 



FiG. 'Jo. — British Museum ; looking through gallery. 



ings, whether they need repair for leaks, flooring, for renewed windows, roofing, 

 etc., etc., and he also should report from time to time on the condition, needs, 

 and the inventory of the apparatus in his charge. Much of this duty can be 

 divided with a boss carpenter, who shall keep watch upon the deterioration of 

 the building, and avert or correct it by requisition upon the director. 



The relation of the executive to the scientific departments has been touched 

 upon, but a system of considerable interest devised by Prof. H. C. Bumpus, 

 whereby a record of their expenditures is accurately kept, merits explanation. 



A book of blank requisition orders is furnished to each department, and the 

 separate sheets in such a book are numbered, and stamped with the particular 

 title of the department using them, as geology, invertebrate palaeontology, verte- 



