mi SEUMS. 61 



In accordance with the scheme of re-arrangement all objects 

 illustrating local history and archaeology have been placed on exhibi- 

 tion in the first two rooms of the Local Area Gallery of the Lord 

 Derby Museum. 



The general effect of the addition of new ceiling lights in, and the 

 re-painting of, the Main Hall and its balcony in lighter colours, 

 during the past year, has been to vastly improve the diffusion of the 

 light, and to render bright and attractive what was long a sombre 

 and unattractive hall. The substitution of " Nernst " for the old 

 type of incandescent electric lamps has also very greatly improved 

 the lighting in this section of the Museum during the winter. 



The Egyptian collections are now, as to the larger specimens, dis- 

 played in the wall cases chronologically in a continuous series, 

 ranging in time from the Prehistoric Period to the Christian Era. 

 Difficulty was found in suitably exhibiting the medium-sized 

 Antiquities in the same cases ; this has been overcome by the 

 building of twelve shallow, elegant, pilaster cabinets, 7 1 feet in 

 height, which now allow of the objects exhibited in them being seen 

 to the fullest advantage, and in close proximity to the larger 

 specimens of the same dynasty. It is hoped soon to add in the same 

 way a series of shallow frames to receive the large number of textiles 

 and flat objects still unexhibited. 



The arrangement of the M ongolian section on the first floor has 

 been completed as far as cases permit. The majority of the 

 specimens have been labelled. 



A most interesting collection of Chinese Porcelain of the 17th and 

 18th centuries, decorated after the Japanese manner, has been 

 generously lent to the Museum by Mr. John Mellor, Junr. 



A donation also of especial interest is the very large earthenware 

 water-vessel from the Ucayali, a tributary of the Upper Amazon 

 River, presented by Mr. Alfred A. Booth, of Liverpool. 



The Melanian department continues to receive numerous 

 acquisitions from all parts of Africa, many being of particular 



