INTRODUCTION. 



MUSEUM is an institution for the preservation of those 

 objects which best illustrate Nature and the works of man, 

 and the use of these for the increase of knowledge, and for 

 the culture and enlightenment of the people; its special functions 

 being to preserve and utilise objects of nature and works of art and 

 industry. It supplies a need which is felt in every intelligent com- 

 munity and which cannot be supplied by any other agency; it does 

 not exist except among highly enlightened peoples, and obtains its 

 highest development only in great centres of civilisation, and is a 

 necessity in every highly civilised community. The growth of a 

 Museum from day to day may seem to be small, but the growth from 

 year to year may be very large, so during the past it has often 

 seemed as if little was being accomplished, whereas the last five 

 years, taken as a whole, have been the most fruitful in the history 

 of the Museum. During the last ten years the specimens in the 

 Museum have, under the energies of the late John Fan n in, and the 

 present Curator, Frank Kermode, been practically renewed, while 

 during the last five years many valuable additions have been made, 

 notably: Fannin's Mountain Sheep (Ovis fannini, Hornaday); 

 Stone's Mountain Sheep (Ovis stonei, Allen) ; and Kermode's White 

 Bear (Ursus ker model, Hornaday), captured in May, 1904, at 

 Gribbel Island. 



The visitor, looking at the various animals and then at the labels, 

 is almost lost in wonder at the immense distances from which the 

 specimens were obtained, some possibly at great risk of danger to 

 the life of the hunter, who has to be a sure shot, and have a keen eye 

 and strong nerve to attack, for instance, a Grizzly Bear. 



If in your travels you should visit Victoria, Vancouver Island, be 

 sure you see the Provincial Museum. You will there see many 

 strange and wonderful things, and if you have time to listen, stories 

 will be told you, woven about these " Exhibits," that will make your 



