THE DUBLIN MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND ART. 299 



IRISH ANTIQUITIES. 



The collection of ancient objects illustrating the life of man in Ireland 

 from the earliest times of which any trace of his appearance in this country 

 can be found will bear comparison with the finest similar collections in any 

 country. The relics of the Stone Age are from every part of Ireland, and 

 no pains have been spared to arrange them so as, with the help of full 

 explanatory labels, to show the circumstances under which they were found, 

 and the knowledge of the customs of those early times which may be 

 derived from them. 



The Bronze Age room shows a most interesting series of implements in 

 Bronze, and a few in Copper, and is remarkable for the magnificent display 

 of Gold ornaments which, although they are doubtless but a very small 

 proportion of the objects made of this metal at this early period, show in 

 what quantities it existed, and with what skill it was worked at least from 

 early in the Bronze Age till its close. There is also a room devoted to 

 objects, chiefly ecclesiastical, of late mediaeval times, when the curtistic 

 workers of Ireland in Bronze, Gold and Enamels produced such precious 

 objects as the Cross of Cong, the Ardagh Chalice, the Shrine of St. Patrick's 

 Bell, and the Tara Brooch 



These objects have been collected chiefly by the Royal Irish Academy, 

 and for many years were kept in the Academy's house in Dawson-street ; 

 but as it was impossible to exhibit them there in a satisfactory manner, 

 they were transferred, in 1891, to the new Museum building. 



ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 



Though not so extensive as in some of the very large Natural History 

 Museums of Europe, it is believed that these will compare favourably with 

 any in point of arrangement. The ground floor is divided into three 

 sections: the first is arranged to illustrate the history or evolution of animal 

 species, classification, variation, natural selection, structure and instinct,, 

 development, etc., and also to show the distribution of some typical species 

 in the several regions into which the earth's surface is divided. 



The second and third sections contain the Fauna of Ireland, in the one 

 the invertebrate animals, and in the other the vertebrate ; the Irish birds are 

 a notable exhibit, and there are many groups of birds with their nests well 

 set up with very faithful reproductions of their natural surroundings ; to 

 many visitors this is the most interesting part of the Museum, and it is 

 believed that it does much to awaken and develop a love of natural history 

 in the young. In the upper floor the chief types of the animal kingdom 

 generally are displayed in regular order, and the adjacent annexe contains 

 the fossil animals, a collection peculiarly rich in the various species of flying 

 reptiles. 



In a very conspicuous position are exhibited cases of " Injurious Insects," 

 arranged to show their life history and the means which should be adopted 

 for their destruction. 



