86 



sideration of " local Museums on a smaller scale in the smaller 

 cities and provincial towns." He remarks that there are 

 " many such, both on the continent and in our own country, 

 and that, if judiciously formed and adequately maintained, 

 they ought to be very useful in encouraging the taste for 

 observation at home, and giving the scientific visitor from a 

 distance authentic information on the Natural History of the 

 district ; " and he ends by giving an opinion " that local 

 provincial societies cannot better apply their funds and 

 influence than in the establishment of a Museum aiming at 

 completeness in representing the local district ; that exotic 

 specimens should be restricted to such a limited number of 

 representative types or specimens for comparison as their 

 means will afford, selected solely in proportion to their utility 

 in the Museum, without reference to the individuality of the 

 donor ; or, if a certain number of complimentary specimens 

 must be retained for a time in order to keep up the public 

 interest in the establishment, such specimens be unhesi- 

 tatingly expelled as soon as the cause for retaining them is 

 gone." * 



Now if this be so (to return to the matter from which I 

 have somewhat digressed) — if local Museums be indeed 

 desirable — it seems to fall within the especial province of 

 Local Natural History Field Clubs to assist in getting them 

 together. 



Gentlemen, without being all of you professed Naturalists, 

 you can do much for us in the matter we have now in hand. 

 One of our Members, indeed, has already set an example 

 which calls for our warmest approbation and thanks, by 

 making a collection during the past year of the land and 

 fresh water shells found about Bath, numbering more than 

 sixty species, and embracing probably a great proportion of 



* Proceed, of Lin. Soc, May 24th, 1867. 



