LIFE OF FLOWER 63 



the vertebrate series of the Index Museum were written 

 by the hand of the Director himself, while all came under 

 his personal supervision before being placed in the 

 museum. Labels of a descriptive nature had hitherto 

 been mainly, if not entirely, conspicuous by their absence 

 on the zoological side of the museum ; and for some time 

 the Index series alone afforded an example of the nature 

 of the Director's views on this all-important subject. 

 Nor was this all; for in addition to these descriptive 

 labels, other and larger labels were affixed in the cases, 

 bearing the names of the various "classes," "orders," 

 and " families," to which the specimens respectively 

 pertained; the limits of the space occupied by each 

 group being indicated by black laths, varying in width 

 according to the grade of the group they demarcated. 

 By this means systematic divisions were clearly indi- 

 cated ; and on no consideration would Flower permit of 

 any single specimen being placed elsewhere than in its 

 proper systematic position. 



Another innovation so far at anyrate as the 

 zoological side of the museum was concerned was the 

 placing of small maps alongside each specimen or each 

 group, to illustrate, by means of colour, the geographical 

 distribution of the species or group. 



As regards the function of the Index Museum, it 

 may be admitted that instead of, as originally intended, 

 serving as an elementary guide in natural history to the 

 uninstructed public, this exhibit is more generally used 

 by serious zoological students, of whom numbers may 

 from time to time be seen, book in hand, and sometimes 

 under the guidance of a teacher, intently poring over 

 the contents of the cases. Such a use although not 



