Some Colonial Museums. 8i 



glad to see that the Roy. Soc. of Canada ha.s passed a resolution 

 in this respect at its last session. It is a step in the right 

 direction. Not until the Scientific societies of Canada combine 

 their forces and urge the Government to erect such a National 

 Museum building as will be suitable for the purpose for which it 

 was established, not till then will there be a movement in that 

 direction. 



H. M. A. 



"SOME COLONIAL MUSEUMS." 



By H. H. M. Ami. 



An instructive comparative study of nine different Museums 

 visited by Prof. Bather in South Africa, Tasmania, Australia 

 and New Zealand, is given by Prof. Bather, of the British 

 Museum, under the above title. From a cursory examination of 

 the contents of the pamphlet, there are several points of unusual 

 interest to Canadians The value of Museums to a community 

 depends largely upon the material which is exhibited and also 

 upon the manner in which this material is displayed. The 

 educative value of Museums make them a necessity now-a-days 

 aud from the excellence of a Museum, can be obtained a good 

 general idea of the degree of progress and advancement which a 

 community has made in the various branches of thought and 

 research. My purpose here is to give a mere abstract of the 

 pamphlet in question so as to enable the Canadian authorities 

 to gain acquaintance with the advance made by other portions of 

 the British Empire in this direction. The following are the 

 diffyrent Museums and the brief abstracts made from the writings 

 of Prof. Bather :— 



The South African Museum. — This is situated in Cape 

 Town ; now a-building and to cost i^20,ooo. Workshops and 



