^6 STUDY OF NATUEAL HISTORY IN TASMANIA. 



excel in the completeness and orderliness of its little local 

 collection. But these clubs do not exist with us, although 

 efforts have been made to establish them, and, though desir- 

 able, it is not absolutely necessary to have them before we 

 can hope to open a few local museums, There are many 

 amateur collections of shells, eggs, and other natural objects 

 aimlessly and almost uselessly acquired and maintained ; 

 there are many lovers of natural history scattered through 

 the country districts without any definite end in their studies, 

 "without sijecimens to throw life into their reading, without 

 that cohesiveness and unity of purpose which co-operative 

 collecting for a local museum would impart. To both these 

 classes I appeal ; to the former, to unselfishly contribute their 

 unclassified private collections to form public and classified 

 ones ; to the latter to contribute their time and knowledge 

 for the purpose of inaugurating and arranging collections for 

 their district. I appeal to the well-to-do landowners of the 

 colony for the necessary means. Those of them — possibly 

 there are no exceptions — who are deej^ly interested in the 

 spread of sound knowledge amongst the people, who are 

 interested in the advance ot the colony as a whole, who would 

 joyfully see Tasmania stand up and do something — to those I 

 appeal for aid to procure the necessary buildings and fittings. 

 Many of them could spare a room or a renovated outbuilding ; 

 manv of them could, at little cost, supply shelves or tables to 

 be converted into cases for specimens ; all of them could con- 

 tribute their pence and their moral support. 



But it is to the lovers of natural history in the country dis- 

 tricts, who with that love combine a fair knowledge at least of 

 the elements of some one branch of natural science, that I look 

 in the first place for support. They would have to take the 

 initiative in their own particular districts, to air the proposal, 

 to interview the amateur collector and soften his heart, to 

 enlist the sympathy of the all-powerful man of substance to 

 set the whole machinery in motion. 



At the outset the founders of the local museums would be 

 encountered by serious difiiculties in the matter of pre- 

 serving specimens. Suppose a small building be provided and 

 drawers or cases procured, how are the specimens to be pre- 

 served from decay, and from insect pests ? As regards the 

 herbarium, some useful directions are given by Mr. Spicer in 

 his " Handbook of the Plants of Tasmania." I would 

 urgently impress upon the Eoyal Society the utility of 

 publishing directions for the preservation of skins, insects, 

 and reptiles, and regarding the best method of capturing and 

 killing insects. A leaflet would contain all that is necessary, 

 and I am sure the Society would be amply repaid the trifling 

 expense and trouble involved in the preparation of it by the 

 addition to our scientific knowledge that would result there- 



