573 KEViEws. [June, 



The author next sets before his readers several objects which 

 may be called the appendages of a museum, viz. plans, sketches, 

 photographs, drawings of magnified objects, registers of the 

 flowering of plants, the leafing of trees, the first appearances of 

 migratory animals, etc. etc. 



His proposals for the formation of a museum are — 



(1.) That the collection be limited to objects that are strictly 

 local or existing within five miles of the church. 



(2.) That all specimens must be well mounted, or otherwise so 

 prepared as to be readily inspected by the members. These 

 should have written or printed tickets, containing the name of 

 the object, the place and time where and when it was collected, 

 with any other needful information, and this account should be 

 accompanied with the name and address of the collector. 



(3.) That lists of plants and animals found in the museum area 

 be drawn up, printed, and circulated. 



(4.) That a series of meteorological observations be kept. 



(5.) That books of reference be provided, and descriptive 

 catalogues of the contents of the museum be compiled. 



(6.) That a record of interesting facts in natural science be 

 preserved for the use of the members. 



The author next disposes of the objection " that the collection 

 and custody of so many objects will be a burden on the willing- 

 hearted members of the society.'^ For example, see page 11. 



"Why should not one person devote himself to the department of 

 moths, or flies, or butterflies, or dragonflies, or bees, or wasps, or gnats, 

 or beetles, or spiders, or ants, or snails, or worms, or to one class of fish, 

 or reptiles, or birds, or mammalia, or to lichens, or fungi, or mosses, or 

 ferns, or particular classes of flowers, or seeds, or woods, or barks, or 

 fossils? The observation, collection, and preservation of any one of 

 these classes of objects would give ample work to any individual, or 

 indeed to two or three associated together, or even to a famUy ; at the 

 same time that the interest taken by each woi'ker in other departments 

 than his own would be increased rather than lessened. 



" Again, some one person may be appointed to draw up a list of plants, 

 another to receive information from villagers regarding the migration of 

 birds, a third, the dates of the first and the latest appearance of annual 

 flowers ; a fourth, the total disappearance of plants or animals ; a fifth, the 

 habits of certain insects, fish, birds, or quadrupeds ; while all would be 

 aided in every way possible by the committee ; and the specimens, if duly 

 preserved, and the facts, if accurately recorded, would be of interest to the 



