NOTES ON THE DORSET COUNTY MUSEUM. 25 



was at first of a somewhat temporary character, was con- 

 siderably delayed by the purchase of improved cases for many 

 of the Dorset collections, as a memorial to the late curator, 

 and also by the provision of several new cases for the galleries, 

 paid for by a special fund raised for the purpose. As matters 

 now stand, the division of the Dorset from the non-Dorset 

 collections is complete, the whole of the floor space being 

 devoted to the County ; of which we Dorset folk may well 

 be proud, as it is universally admired by strangers. 



All the Dorset cases (numbered I. to XXVII.) being now 

 of pitch pine, and for the most part symmetrical in design, 

 and no longer unduly crowded together, the general aspect 

 of this fine building is greatly improved (see illustration). 

 In the galleries the cases are black, and distinguished by 

 letters A T. These non-Dorset collections are classified, 

 but as they are of a most miscellaneous character, comprising 

 " odds and ends " from many different parts of the world, 

 it is not possible to make a very successful arrangement. 

 They contain objects of much value and interest, which are 

 seen now far better than formerly, but the Council desire to 

 conform as far as possible to the advice of General Pitt Rivers, 

 given at his inaugural address at the formal opening of the 

 Museum, January 1st, 1884, " that all the space and all our 

 efforts should be reserved for collections that emanate from 

 the county, or illustrate its history and industries." 



Mr. Moule was accustomed, in his annual reports to the Field 

 Club, to give a fairly complete summary of the acquisitions 

 during the previous year, both to Museum and Library. 

 Such an attempt on my part to-day, having a period of five 

 or six years to deal with, would obviously be most wearisome ; 

 but it may be of interest to describe, first, the principal changes 

 that have been effected in the arrangement of the collections, 

 and then to refer briefly to some few of the acquisitions that 

 stand out clearly as important, and as likely to increase the 

 prestige of our County Museum. 



First then as regards re-arrangement. Advantage has been 

 taken of the necessary shifting of many objects into new cases, 



