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or ihe two Public Institutions first above mentioned, the Cambridge 

 Museum is very much the older and more extensive, and in the choice 

 of the curator of Entomolog}', has been singularly fortunate, not only in 

 the character and ability of the gentleman placed in charge, but also in 

 the fact that he has been able to spend so many acdve years in developing 

 and perfecting his plans for a comprehensive collection. 



Dr. Hagen has well appreciated the responsibilities of a Museum 

 and its aims, and has labored to accumulate and preserve, allowing his 

 personality to interft-re singularly little with his duties to the Museum. 



A brief statement of what American material the Museum has and 

 the manner of its preservation may be interesting. 



The collections are all in cabinet boxes of uniform size, 16 x 19 

 inches, glass covered, and painted inwardly with white zinc paint. Dr. 

 Hagen does not approve of cork, and the insects are pinned directly into 

 the bottom made of Linden, I believe, or some o;her soft white wood. 

 The frame of the box is of Poplar, and the cover fits into the frame by 

 inems of a tongue and groove, making a very tight joint. The cabinets 

 are uniform in size and each contains 2 sections of 9 drawers each. The 

 drawers are interchangeable, and the cabinets close with a door to each 

 section. Tight boxes and care are Dr. Hagen's reliances to preserve from 

 damage by Museum pests, and they are sufficient where the material is 

 not in constant use. 



Among the Museum's treasures is the Leconte collection of Coleop- 

 tera, and its place here illustrates one of the uses of a Museum — it per- 

 petuates the collection, and allows access to it by students desirous of 

 following in the footsteps of this illustrious leader. I have not seen the 

 collection since its installation in the Museum, but believe it is left in its 

 original boxes, ihev being placed in the Museum boxes. The other col- 

 lection of Ct)teoptera is good ; but the knowledge that one day the Leconte 

 collection would rank among its treasures has prevented any special at- 

 tention to this order. One of the advantages of a Museum is, gentlemen, 

 it never dies — it can afford to wait. 



Next in order — perhaps actually superior in completeness and cer- 

 tainly superior in showing a full series of exotics — is the collection of 

 Neuroptera. This is Dr. Hagen's specialty and shows the advantage of 

 having the curator a specialist — it puts it in one group at least on a some- 

 what betterTooting temporarily — a future curator will probably have some 

 other specialty ; but the advantage gained in the Neuroptera, will never 

 be lost. 



In the Diptera, a glance at Osten-Sacken's catalogue will show the 

 wealth of the collection. Osten-Sacken deserves the sincere thanks of 

 American students for his liberal and enlightened course of placing 



