Bath district, or at least in Somersetshire ; — a geological collec- 

 tion in illustration of the beds characterizing the country round 

 Bath, made and arranged by the late Mr. Lonsdale ; — Mr. 

 Field's well-arranged collection of Minerals ; — and a very fair 

 general collection of Birds, in which most of the leading groups 

 are represented by a limited, but not badly selected, number of 

 species. I have myself placed in the Museum a Cabinet of 

 British Shells, and have lately obtained, as another addition, a 

 small collection of the chief typical forms of British Zoophytes, 

 through the kind help of a gentleman in the North of England, 

 who has paid especial attention to the marine animals of our 

 shores. 



The Roman Antiquities of Bath, lately so well described by 

 our Vice-President, the Eev. H. M. Scarth, occupying the porch 

 and Vestibule of the Museum, find also a most suitable place 

 in a local Institution of this nature. 



What we most want in this Museum — I speak now of the 

 department of Zoology — is a collection of the mammals, reptiles, 

 fishes, and insects of the neighboiirhood : a general collection 

 of British insects I should never recommend, from the extent to 

 which it would reach, and the difficulty in getting such a 

 collection properly arranged and attended to. There should also 

 be a series of the land and freshwater shells of Bath, which 

 would occupy but little room, and which it would be desirable to 

 keep distinct from the British collection above mentioned ; 

 likewise specimens of all other invertebrate animals belonging to 

 the district, not referable to the classes of insects and shells. 



Besides what has been enumerated, there is in the Museum of 

 the Institution a large number of miscellaneous articles and 

 specimens, admitting of little scientific arrangement, and having 

 no connection with the neighboiirhood. My own opinion is 

 that these should not be suffered to increase, lest every available 

 space in the building be lost for future collections, more 

 serviceable to science and more appropriate to the place. Some 



