Clifton College Scientific Society. 93 



rounded by a glowino; atmosphere ; but, on the contrary, that 

 these nebul?e are in the condition of luminous gases, and that it 

 is really nebulous matter with which we have to deal. 



In concluding this short and imperfect paper on spectrum 

 analysis, I cannot do better than quote Eoscoe's words at the 

 end of his splendid book, from which I have obtained a great 

 amount of information. 



* Who could have dreamt, ten years ago, that we should so soon 

 attain such an insight into the processes of creation ? And' yet, 

 great though the results of spectrum analysis already are, they are 

 but a tithe of the numerous questions which this branch of dis- 

 covery has opened up — questions of such number and magnitude, 

 that many generations of men will pass away before they are all 

 satisfactorily answered.' 



X" In fact, I may add, that it promises to enable us, in the words 

 of the Poet Laureate — 



' To follow knowledge like a sinking star, 

 Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.' 



REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM AND 

 BOTANIC GARDEN. 



The Museum and Botanic Garden of Clifton College were first 

 projected in the spring of 1870, and towards the end of that year, 

 a fund was begun with a view to defray the cost of their formation 

 and maintenance. As will be seen by the subjoined balance- 

 sheet, a large sum has now been raised, and though the expenses 

 have been necessarily heavy, the subscribers will be glad to know 

 that both the Garden and the Museum are now entirely free of 

 debt. 



The Museum has been somewhat fully described on pages 46 

 and 47 of the present Number of Transactions. It is still in its 

 infancy, but though there are many gaps in the collections, 

 some of them are already remarkably good. The series of British 

 Lepidoptera, for instance, is very complete, and we have a splendid 

 set of mineral specimens, I shall state very briefly the present 

 condition of each portion of the Museum, as I can thus show 

 more readily what has been done and what is still required. Be- 

 fore doing so, however, I must call attention to an important rule 

 which we laid down at the very outset : " The Museum shall be 



