1898] NOTES AND COMMENTS 305 



The Newcastle Museum 



We much regret to learn that the building- of the Museum at Barras 

 Bridge, Newcastle, is in a somewhat dilapidated condition, and that 

 it was necessary to call a special meeting of the members of the 

 Natural History Society of the counties of Northumberland, iJur- 

 ham, and Newcastle, on March IGth, to consider how funds could 

 be raised to provide the necessary repairs. The connection of this 

 museum with Albany and John Hancock is well known, and many 

 other naturalists of repute have carried on their work there. In 

 consequence of this, the collections are of more value than is usual 

 in a provincial museum, and it is certainly some consolation to find 

 that the members of the above-mentioned Society fully realise the 

 necessity of doing their work thoroughly while they are about it. 

 £110 was promised by those present at the meeting. Lord Arm- 

 strong, who is President of the Society, has offered £500, and Mr 

 Watson-Armstrong, who took the chair at the meeting, subscribed 

 another £250. There can be little doubt that to such an example 

 the public will respond, and that before long the £2500 necessary 

 will be acquired. So long as the members of the Natural History 

 Society of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle realise their 

 responsibilities in this excellent fashion, so long, no doubt, will 

 their Museum continue to be cared for, as it deserves. But it 

 must not be forgotten that Societies are composed of men, and that 

 men are but mortal. Those may arise in the land who know not 

 Hancock, and who do not feel inclined to double their subscriptions, 

 or to subscribe odd £500-notes. As has often been urged by Sir 

 William Flower, the only way in which museums of this kind can 

 be secured against possible disaster is to place them in the hands 

 of some public body. We will not say that a municipal corpora- 

 tion is in itself more friendly to science than a private scientific 

 society, but it has the one great advantage of permanence. 



The Chadwick Museum, Bolton 



A STRIKING novelty in museum exhibits has been introduced at the 

 Chadwick Museum of Natural History, Bolton, Lancashire, in the 

 shape of a colony of honey bees. These are kept in an ' observa- 

 tory hive,' which stands on one of the side tables overlooking the 

 Park, with an aperture through the wall for egress and ingress. 

 We are told in the Rqjort that " to watch the movement of these 

 industrious insects inside their house has excited the wonder and 

 admiration of thousands of visitors." We do not suggest that a 

 museum should usurp the functions of a zoological garden, but any- 

 thing which tends to enliven these storehouses of the dead is to be 

 commended, and we hope the example set by Bolton will be followed. 



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