420 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
require either a long time or heavy expense; but the majority of 
these institutions outgrow in time their original limits in one or 
the other direction; and if such additions do not interfere with 
the general arrangement of the museum, they neither destroy its 
character nor do they add to its value as a strictly educational 
institution. 
The principal aim of a Provincial Museum ought, in my 
opinion, to be popular instruction. I do not mean that it should 
be merely a place for mild amusement and recreation; but that 
it should rank equal with all similar institutions destined to spread 
knowledge and cultivate taste among the people. To attain this 
aim it should contain an arranged series of well-preserved speci- 
mens, representing as many of the remarkable types of living 
forms as are obtainable; a series of useful, as well as noxious, 
plants and animals; of economic products obtained from the 
animal and vegetable kingdoms ; and last, but not least, a complete 
and accurately named series of the flora and fauna of the neigh- 
bourhood. The majority of Provincial Museums with which I am 
acquainted are far from coming up to this ideal. One of the first 
principles by which the curator of such a museum should be guided 
is to admit into his collection no specimen unless it be well 
mounted and a fair representation of its species. He has not 
the excuse of his colleague in charge of a large museum, who 
has to retain those monsters which are literally his bétes-noires, 
viz., specimens to which a history is attached, and the removal of 
which would sooner or later be resented by some of his fellow- 
labourers. ‘The only too frequent presence of such badly-mounted 
specimens in Provincial Museums is not always the fault of the 
curator. The slender means with which he is provided are 
generally insuflicient to encourage taxidermists to bestow the 
necessary amount of skill and time on their work. Besides, 
taxidermy is an art which depends as much on natural gift as 
drawing or modelling; and so long as we are obliged to be 
satisfied with receiving into our collections mediocre specimens, 
mediocre stuffers will take up taxidermy as a trade without there 
being one among them who is naturally qualified for it. 
The direct benefit of a complete collection of the flora and 
fauna of the district in which the Provincial Museum is situated, 
is obvious, and cannot be exaggerated. The pursuit of collecting 
and studying natural-history objects gives to the persons who are 
