2Q6 hull scientific and field naturalists' club. 



societies and the museums suffer, though probably the 

 museums are the greater losers. 



Without wishing in any way to pose as a model to other 

 institutions, I think we can claim in Hull that the greatest 

 harmony exists between the local societies and the museum, 

 to the advantage of both. Perhaps it is not too much to say 

 that were it not for the fact that the local scientific societies 

 took an active interest in the public museum at a time when, 

 possibly for ulterior motives, it was suggested that the 

 collections in the Literary and Philosophical Society's 

 possession should be handed over to the town, the Municipal 

 Museum at Hull in its present form might never have existed 

 at all. The club over which I have now the honour of pre- 

 siding, with the help of the Hull Geological Society, waited 

 upon the Technical Instruction Committee when the matter 

 was being considered, and unquestionably the claims then 

 put forward by the deputation from these two societies, 

 which attended at the Town Hall, carried some weight with 

 the Committee in their decision. From the time when the 

 museum became public property the most cordial relations 

 have existed between it and the local societies, and it is 

 to be hoped that these may continue. Whilst others have 

 materially assisted the museum in its work, it can be fairly 

 claimed that our own club has taken the lead in the help that 

 has been given. Through its relationship, members of this 

 club have considerably added to the value of our natural 

 history objects, particularly as regards the local specimens, 

 which we are endeavouring to make a strong feature in our 

 collections. Through the forethought of our late lamented 

 member, Charles Russell, we are able to display in our 

 natural history galleries an almost complete series of British 

 lepidoptera : a most valuable acquisition which was sorely 

 needed to replace the incomplete, faded, and generally 

 delapidated specimens previously existing. The collections 

 of Swiss and South African butterflies left to us by Mr. 

 Russell, as well as the exotic coleoptera, have also been most 

 useful. The arrangement and exhibition of the butterflies in 

 this museum was largely carried out by our member, Mr. 

 John Porter, and Mr. H. E. Johnson assisted here in a 

 similar way with the Coleoptera. Our friend and foundation 

 member, Mr. J. W. Boult (recently eulogised in our annual 

 volume of Transactions by the club's biographer, Mr. 

 Robinson), has helped us, particularly as regards the Coleop- 

 tera. The East Riding type collection of these insects, 

 representing the identical specimens recorded in the various 



