378 NATURAL SCIENCE. j UNE . 



impossible to contemplate, so that it promises to remain a remarkable 

 monument to someone. It is said the excuse for this absurdity was 

 that the cases which could alone be accommodated downstairs were 

 not sufficiently high, it being thought that, like the giraffe, the British 

 youth and maiden could easily study objects placed at eight and ten 

 feet from the ground. I see that Mr. Lydekker is sensibly closing 

 the upper cases in the Mammalia Room, and filling the fronts in with 

 maps and diagrams. 



The revolution that is going on in this room is most welcome, 

 and proves what a special genius for museum arrangement Sir 

 William Flower possesses. Instead of a gallery filled with ill-shaped 

 horrors three or four deep in the cases, and arranged without any 

 order, and with inadequate and childish labels, the collection will 

 soon be an unrivalled school for teaching this branch of natural 

 history, not merely to children, but to Members of Parliament and 

 other half-educated people. The portion already arranged by Mr. 

 Lydekker is simply first-rate ; the peculiarities which mark off each 

 genus or family are plainly shown either by whole skeletons or 

 portions of critical importance ; the stuffed specimens really look as if 

 they had once belonged to living animals, only specimens that teach 

 something are exhibited, and they are arranged in sequence, beginning 

 with the monotremes and ending with monkeys, while the labels are 

 an epitome of what ought to be. known by educated people on the 

 subject. One thing only I would complain of in these labels. Every 

 Latin or Greek technical term other than a specific name ought to be 

 accompanied by a translation in a museum meant for everybody. 



It will not, I hope, be thought impertinent if some suggestions 

 are offered while the work is progressing. If it were possible, it 

 would certainly be a gain to a large number of ignorant people to> 

 show what food the animals live upon, whether they frequent deserts 

 or otherwise, whether the young are in a helpless condition or 

 matured when born ; in the case of the kangaroos, the antelopes, 

 chamois, etc., to show their mode of progression by leaps, etc. 

 Let an effort, too, be made to secure, if possible, at least one adult 

 specimen of the African and of the Indian elephant — surely no 

 museum of first-rate importance in the world except this is so poor as 

 not to be able to show at least one adult elephant. 1 A new specimen 

 of the giraffe less damaged by time would be very welcome, and 

 lastly, to meet the demands of those who love beautiful objects, as 

 well as bloodthirsty boys and sportsmen, let us have some well- 

 mounted groups of the Carnivora. Daniel would have preserved his 

 self-possession unscathed among lions like some of these. 



All these things will no doubt come — in fact, they are coming 

 quickly — for we have great faith in the " Panjandrum " of museum 



1 Since this paragraph was written, the great Asiatic Elephant at the Zoo has 

 died, and we are glad to say its skin is presently to be set up in the Mammal 

 Gallery. 



