LIFE OF FLOWER 69 



palaeontological withfthe zoological collections was con- 

 sequently perforce abandoned. 1 As a compromise a 

 certain number of fossil specimens, or casts of the same, 

 were to be introduced among the recent mammals ; 

 while, conversely, a few skeletons of the latter were to 

 take their place among the remains of their extinct 

 forerunners. 



In another mooted change, Sir William (as it lay 

 entirely in the Department under his own special con- 

 trol) was, however, more successful. Previously it had 

 been the practice in the museum to separate the skeletons 

 and skulls and horns of mammals from the mounted 

 skins, placing the former in a gallery by themselves, 

 known as the Osteological Gallery. As a result of this, 

 if a visitor wanted to ascertain the peculiarities of the 

 skeleton of any mammal of which the skin was exhibited, 

 he had to mount to the gallery above, and on his arrival 

 there, very probably forgot the essential features of the 

 skin. One of the first resolves in connection with the 

 rearrangement was to do away with the Osteological 

 Gallery altogether, and to place a certain proportion of 

 the skeletons and skulls in juxtaposition with, or near 

 by, the stuffed skins. 



Another feature of the old method of exhibition in 

 vogue in the museum was the crowding together of a 

 vast number of specimens, good, bad, and indifferent 

 (mostly either the second or third), many of which were 

 duplicates, in such a manner that the great majority 

 could scarcely be seen at all, while the effect of those that 



1 At the cost of a gap in the systematic series, a step has been subse- 

 quently made in this direction by the transference of the elephants and 

 sea-cows to the Geological Department. 



