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ranee prevails respecting those bj' which we are ac- 

 tually environed. 



In the management of a scientific Institution, I 

 think it wise to avoid having too large a Committee 

 or Board of Trustees. The usual tendency is to make 

 such a body as extensive and " influential " as possible, 

 but in practice this method does not prove successful, 

 and it is far preferable to entrust the management to 

 a small body of competent men really interested in 

 the Museum. Indeed, I am persounally in favour of 

 there being no based or Committee whatever, but of 

 making the Director or Curator directly responsible 

 to the Government. A competent scientific officer may 

 fitly be trusted to this extent, and all details of ma- 

 nagement are greatly facilitated by making the man 

 charged with them independent of other than govern- 

 mental or ministerial control. 



As regards the style of building best suited for a 

 Museum, I consider that (for Zoological purposes, at 

 any rate) large and lofty rooms are a mistake. The 

 space of a whole floor is thus lost, and the gain of a 

 few wall-cases by the absence of windows in lofty 

 rooms lighted from above is very inadequate compen- 

 sation for that loss. Where plenty of ground is avail- 

 able I would have all the Museum accessible on the 

 ground floor, but otherwise I would have the addi- 

 tional floors or stories of the ordinary height. 



The palatial or heighty decorated architecture in 

 use for Museums seems also out of place ; the interior 



