7 
in the museum waiting to be mounted, and a number more 
can be had from friends when required. In preparin 
these botanical collections, no specimen will be admitte 
except such as are characteristic examples, and carefully 
dried. Mutilated or imperfect plants will be rejected, save 
only in case of extremely rare species. 
“Tt is hoped that not only a good series of the local 
plants, and of the plants of Great Britain, may be ob- 
tained, but aleo that, in point of appearance and of careful 
selection, your herbaria may compare favourably with 
those in any other provincial museum, 
“This will complete, so far as the available material 
is concerned, the arrangement of the natural history col- 
lections in the Thompson room, and that formerly used 
as the library. Those engaged on that department respeet- 
fully suggest to your council, and to those having charge 
of the arck ological collections, the propriety of having 
them arranged in the central casa of tha latter room, Ry 
this means, all the collections illustrative of the natural 
history and archzology of the district would be assembled 
in the rooms named, and so form in them a complete 
local museum. “Samn, A. Srewarr. 
“Huan Roxryson, 
“WILLIAM Swanston. 
* May, 1872. 
“From the foregoing report it will be noticed that steady 
on is being made, and that in about two year’s time the - 
ocal collections will be well displayed and named. The 
council, haying only just now received this report from the 
Arrangement Committee, leave to the new council about to 
be elected the duty of deciding on the suggestions made, 
“The building of the museum is in a sound condition, 
with the exception of some repairs necessary for the 
Thompson room, and for the curator’s house in the rere, 
which haye been ordered. Some slight improvements in 
the gas-fittings have been made throughout the rooms, 
“ The middle room has, during the last twelve months, 
been again even poe thrice a week for a short time by 
classes connected with the Ladies’ Institute. 
“The Naturalists’ Field Club haye also occupied the 
rooms for their evening meetings, as already explained. 
“ Judging from the amount of money received at the 
door on last Easter Monday, the number of those who on 
that day visited the museum cannot have been less than 
6,000. This is very gratifying, and indicates that the intelli- 
gent artisans who on that holiday seek amusement in Bel- 
