GENERAL REPORT. 



In Liverpool we can claim to have led the way in popularising the 

 Library by striking oft as far as possible all red tape. A man can 

 stroll in from the street and take up a volume of the most recent 

 literature without anyone asking him a question, and, so far, we are 

 happy to say, this confidence in our readers has not been misplaced. 

 Our catalogues facilitating the labour of readers in special subjects, 

 and our boys' libraries also with special catalogues, indicate our 

 desire to extend the usefulness of our institutions; and the large 

 and growing issues of books prove that this policy is fully 

 appreciated. 



Great progress lias been made in arranging the new Museum 

 galleries; and in the course of a few months the work will be so 

 far advanced that the extent and value of the material at our 

 disposal, and the scientific classification which has been adopted iu 

 its display, will alike commend themselves to public approval, for 

 while the naturalist wishing to pursue original investigation will 

 find his work greatly facilitated, equally the schoolboy will find 

 much to encourage and assist him in his holiday rambles in search 

 of natural history specimens. 



The Museum will thus, it is hoped, fulfil the highest mission of a 

 museum to popularise and extend a love of nature, and to bring 

 many of its hidden mysteries within the consideration and reach of 

 students. 



The Council is earnestly asked to consider the necessity of pro- 

 viding adequate accommodation for the pictures constituting our 

 permanent gallery. For six months in each year a large portion of 

 those pictures have to be taken down to make room for the Autumn 

 exhibition, and not only are the public thus deprived of the pleasure 

 of seeing them during this long period, but there is always some risk 

 in moving works of art, and it is scarcely encouraging to donors 

 to see their gifts so frequently displaced. The necessary extensions 

 will cost probably £'14,000, and when it is borne in mind that this 

 grand and unique group of buildings and their contents — the 



