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neighbourhood ; and indeed for exemplifications of the solution of 

 this knotty point we have too coinuiuiily only to appeal to the 

 Museum of the place. lustetid of methodical illustrations of the 

 natural history and antiquities of the district, we are likely to find 

 a few good things overlaid by such a rabble-rout, such a multifarious 

 and disorderly medley of outlandish and queer odds and ends, as are 

 i-ather fitted for a laughing stock than a sober exposition of science. 

 Thus we are met at once in the hall and saloons by such in- 

 congruous lots as effigies of double women, elephants' teeth, nose- 

 rings, bi-ain-stones, tomahawks, stuffed alligators, moccasins. New 

 Zealanders' heads, Chinese sliijpers, cockatoos, canoes, Babylonish 

 bricks, boas, javelins, lions and tigers, calumets, matchlocks, palm- 

 branches, shields, monkey-stones, sugar-canes, Roman cement, Oliver 

 Cromwell's watches, fabricated elephants, Egyptian mummies, and 

 numbei'less other eccentric things of this motley and confounded 

 order. The garniture of Romeo's apothecary's shop, or the country- 

 man's museum on the barn-door, would be more instructive or 

 intelligible and less ridiculous or perplexing. 



It might be painful or appear invidious to inquire minutely by 

 what means or under whose misconduct so many pi-ovincial museums 

 have sunk into their present disgraceful confusion and uselessness ; 

 especially as it is little creditable to the intelligence of that com- 

 munity under the tolerance or approval of which this reproachful 

 state of things exists. If the fault be attributable to the apathy or 

 something worse atnong the majority of the ratepayers, it is one 

 that the friends of popular government should hasten to correct. 

 However this may be, it is enough for us to know that this notorious 

 evil has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished ; it will 

 otherwise remain a foul blot on and a costly nuisance to the places 

 under such miserable infliction. Hence eveiy naturalist and 

 antiquarian, eveiy friend to the progress of education, every 

 intelligent and honest member of the community, should be 

 ready to lend his hand cordially to the good work of reform in 

 this direction ; and more especially so, as in tmth the difficulty is 

 by no means insuperable, but may be easily removed, while this 

 consummation is devoutly to be wished, and would involve no 

 addition to the customary and regular expense. The remedies are 

 sufficiently obvious, and to point out how they should be used, after 

 having described the disorder and the necessity for them, is the 

 object of the present obsei-vations. To this end we have in the first 

 place to consider what is desirable and practicable. To instruct 

 ourselves and the rising generation, by means of local museums, 

 in the elements of natural history generally, and in the local 

 examples of it particularly, is obviously both pi-acticable and 

 desirable. For the first purpose, when indigenous specimens are 

 wanting we must get exotic ones ; and these should be limited to 

 such only as are absolutely necessaiy for the elucidation of fimda- 

 mental or comprehensive facts ; for which purpose anatomical 

 preparations, whether botanical or zoological, are chiefly, but not 

 exclusively, to be esteemed. On the other hand, all and eveiy 

 species belonging to the district should be presei-ved and displayed 

 so far as they admit of it ; i^artly for the knowledge they convey 

 of the science, but principally for the infonnation they afford of 

 the natui'al history of the Ipcality. Antiquarian objects should be 

 treated in a similar spirit. Thus would be collected at one view, or 



