1894. ADDRESS TO THE MUSEUMS' ASSOCIATION. 25 



Museum by contributing by donation, or loan, such collections as it 

 could spare without trenching on the teaching collections proper. 



This view of their position has been practically adopted by the 

 Board, and the following collections have been transferred to the 

 custody of our Museum. 



1863. 150 casts of Irish fishes, prepared under the superinten- 

 dence of the late Dr. Robert Ball. 



In 1882, a portion of Captain Cook's collection and the Haliday 

 collection of insects. 



In 1883, a collection of fossils and casts of fossils of mammals and 

 reptiles from the Sivalik Hills. 



In 1888, a large number of bundles of duplicates of exotic 

 plants. 



[In 1894, weapons and implements of the Cook collection, to be 

 deposited on loan.] 



All the above collections are arranged, and are, or will shortly 

 be, open to the pubhc. They have been labelled, and of some 

 portions there are detailed printed catalogues. 



The Royal Irish Academy. 



The Royal Irish Academy was incorporated by Royal Charter of 

 George III., on the 28th January, 1786, for the purpose of advancing 

 the study of Science, Polite Literature, and Antiquities in Ireland. 

 From its commencement it was considered by the Irish Parliament 

 to be a proper object for public bounty, and it has since continued to 

 receive Government aid in carrying out its work. 



It has been said that a remark by Sir Walter Scott animadverting 

 on the fact that Ireland contained no National Collection, although 

 abounding in Antiquarian remains, was connected with the inception 

 of the Academy's Museum. Be that as it may, we find that on the 

 24th June, 1839, a real beginning was made by the presentation to 

 the Academy of the Cross of Cong by Professor MacCullagh, and of 

 two gold torques, found thirty years before at Tara, and presented 

 by Dr. Petrie, on behalf of the subscribers who had purchased 

 them for this purpose. In their Report, dated March, 1841, the 

 Council state that they consider that the formation of a Museum 

 is an object which the Academy should continue steadily to pursue. 

 A sum of money was allotted to the Museum Committee, and 

 reference is made to a subscription just then raised of upwards of 

 ;^i,ooo to enable the Academy to purchase the collection of antiquities 

 of Dean Dawson, of St. Patrick's. Space and time fail me to 

 describe the acquisition by the Academy of the Petrie and other 

 collections which were subsequently added. Even Sir Wm. Wilde's 

 Catalogue, published in the years 1861-2, which served to spread 

 abroad the reputation of the Academy's Museum, was not absolutely 

 exhaustive of its contents. 



In the year 1877, after some correspondence, the Academy 



