40 MUSEUMS. 



box, otherwise easy fitting opaque lids are used, and the specimens 

 may be taken out and handled by the student. The trays are readily 

 drawn out, and the contents of the cabinets may be displayed with 

 great facility. As a rule only one specimen of a species is contained 

 in each box, and a distinguishing number is placed conspicuously 

 upon it. The specimen boxes are numbered, and their positions in 

 the trays bear corresponding numbers, so as to ensure the return of 

 each specimen to its right box and each box to its right place in the 

 tray after use. A descriptive label accompanies each specimen, and 

 a list of the specimens contained in the cabinet is attached to the 

 lid, with fuller descriptions under numbers corresponding to the 

 numbers on the specimens, and in addition a sentence or two drawing 

 attention to the special character of the cabinet as a whole. The 

 specimens themselves are selected with care, and in no case are 

 inferior or non-typical specimens used, and they are arranged in the 

 cabinet as far as possible t.. illustrate some definite fact in nature, 

 such as, the organic origin of coal, the uses of the animal or its 

 skeleton in the economic world, or examples of the various Mays in 

 which shells are manufactured into articles of commerce. 



There are now 25 of these Natural History cabinets in circulation, 

 and 75 schools and institutions are receiving them in rotation. The 

 latter consist of 48 Denominational schools, 25 Board schools and 2 

 Training-colleges for pupil teachers. For distributional purposes 

 our area is divided into two districts— a north and a south — and the 

 cabinets are distributed each month alternately to the schools in the 

 two districts. The schools are under no expense, both the distribu- 

 tion and collection being undertaken by the Museums. Xotice is 

 sent to each school a few days before the delivery of the cabinet, and 

 in the cabinet itself is placed an intimation of the date of collection, 

 so that each school knows how long the cabinet will remain at its 

 disposal. 



A brief account of a few of the subjects and contents of these 

 School-cabinets may be of interest. 



In the Coal cabinet above referred to (see Fig. 1). the organic 

 origin of coal is demonstrated by specimens of sphagnum (wood fibre 

 or cellulose), peat, lignite, bituminous coal, common coal and 



