LIFE OF FLOWER 71 



another, every one being perfectly and distinctly seen, 

 and with a clear space around it. ... Every specimen 

 exhibited should be good of its kind, and all available 

 skill and care should be spent upon its preservation and 

 rendering it capable of teaching the lesson it is intended 

 to convey. . . . Every specimen exhibited should have 

 its definite purpose, and no absolute duplicate should 

 on any account be permitted." 



The purport of these golden words, which at the 

 time they were written indicated an entirely new 

 departure in museum arrangement and display, was, so 

 far as possible, followed in the rearrangement of the 

 mammal galleries. In the first place, the upper portions 

 of the cases, which were far too high above the ground 

 to permit of the proper exhibition of small specimens, 

 were, except in those containing large mammals, 

 closed up and employed for displaying the labels relating 

 to the larger groups and the maps illustrating their 

 geographical distribution. Then, again, the shelves, 

 in place of being arranged one above another like those 

 in a wardrobe, were reduced in number, and in most 

 instances in width, so as to be suited to the best possible 

 display of the specimens they were intended to carry. 

 Duplicate specimens of all kinds, as well as representa- 

 tives of species having but little general interest, were 

 relentlessly weeded out and consigned to the store 

 series ; while efforts were made to procure new 

 examples, mounted in the best possible manner, of 

 all species and these were by far the great majority 

 represented by badly - mounted, or old and faded 

 specimens. This part of the business was found, how- 

 ever, to be a matter which must necessarily occupy much 



