440 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



the members. This plan would, in all probability, 

 diminish the expense to one half, and the society 

 might have its menagerie recruited by its own 

 officers direct, instead of paying large sums with 

 the accumulated profits of many intermediate 

 dealers ; so that finally it might be reasonably ex- 

 pected, that this plan would add but very little to 

 the present expenditure of the society, in purchasing 

 their animals through the instrumentality of several 

 agents. The museum, also, would be thus acquir- 

 ing a constant accession of new and interesting 

 objects, unprocurable by any other means. In a 

 few years, instead of the present poor collection in 

 Bruton Street, altogether unworthy both of the 

 name and the funds oi the society, it might have a 

 museum to which the public would willingly pay 

 for admittance, and feel satisfied with a payment 

 which, at present, is certainly too high. Materials 

 being thus provided, let them be turned to good use. 

 If the society be unwilling to embark in publishing 

 them in a complete and scientific form, let the 

 museum be opened, without vexatious restrictions, 

 to all who are disposed to take such risk or expense 

 upon themselves, no matter whether they be Fellows 

 or not. The very least that can be done, in the way 

 of liberality to scientific men, is, to give them the 

 facility of doing that which the society declines, 

 and which so very few individuals have either the 

 disposition or the talents to accomplish. It savours 

 of that narrow and despicable spirit which is now 

 fortunately so rarely to be met with, — to turn a 

 museum into a scientific preserve, where none but 

 the members are allowed to hunt for information. 



