August 26, 1880] 



NATURE 



397 



we possess of this kind of duplicates are generally deteriorated 

 specimens, and tlierefore onght not to be received by provincial 

 museums. On the other hand, our invertebrate series, especially 

 of moUusks and insects, «ill always offer a certain number of 

 well-jireserved duplicate specimens, and a sufficient inducement 

 for provincial museums to select their desiderata. 



It has been suggested that as the British Museum has corre- 

 spondents and collectors in almost every part of the globe, and 

 has therefore greater facilities for obtaining specimens than any 

 other institution, it should systematically acquire duplicates, and 

 form a central repository, from which provincial museums could 

 draw their supplies. If the necessary funds to carry out this 

 scheme were granted, I cannot see any objection to it on the part 

 of the British Museum which, on the contrary, would probably 

 derive some benefit. But there is one, and in my opinion a very 

 serious, objection, viz., that this scheme would open the door to 

 the . employment of curators of inferior qualifications ; it would 

 relieve the curator of a provincial museum of an important part 

 of his duty, viz., to study for himself the requirements of his 

 museum, the means of meeting them, and to become well ac- 

 quainted with the objects themselves. A curator who has to be 

 satisfied with the mechanical work of displaying and preserving 

 objects acquired, prepared, and named for him by others takes 

 less interest in the progress of his museum than he whose duty 

 it would be io form a collection ; he is not the person in whose 

 charge the museum will flourish. 



In speaking of the claims of Provincial Museums on the 

 National Museum, the kindred Colonial institutions should not 

 be forgotten. We owe to them much of our knowledge of the 

 natural history of the Colonies ; they are the repositories of the 

 collections of the temporary and permanent surveys which have 

 been instituted in connection with tliem ; and they have concen- 

 trated and preserved the results of manifold individual eftorls, 

 which otherwi-e most likely would have been lost to .science. 

 The British Museum has derived great benefit from the friendly 

 relations which we have kept up with them ; and, therefore, 

 they are deserving of all the aid which we can possibly give 

 them, and which may lessen the peculiar difficulties under which 

 they labour in consequence of their distance from Europe. 



I am painfully aware tliat, in the remarks which I have had 

 the honour of making before you, I have tried the patience of 

 some, and not satisfied the expectations of others. But so much 

 I may claim : that the view-s which I have expressed before you as 

 my owm are the results of many years' experience, and, therefore, 

 should be worthy of your consideration ; and that I am guided 

 by no other desire than that of seeing the museums in this country 

 taking their proper place in regard to biology, and as one of the 

 most important aids in the instruction of the people. 



NOTES 



In mediajval ages Rheims was a seat of learning, and in 1547 

 the Cardinal of Lorraine established there a university, which 

 flourished until it was suppressed at the French Revolution. 

 But although the present Republican Government has instituted in 

 this ancient city a school of medicine, the liberal arts are little 

 cultivated by the inhabitants, who are mostly engaged in com- 

 mercial and manufacturing occupations, Rheims possesses the 

 greatest wine trade in the world and the richest woollen manu- 

 factories in France. So, although the French Association has 

 met with a very handsome reception, the local budget of scientific 

 contributions was very meagre indeed, except in the sections of 

 anthropology and archaeology, which were a local success. M. 

 Cotteau gave an address describing the geological character of 

 the Rheims district, and illustrated by the local exhibition which 

 had been arranged in one of the halls of the Lycee by M. Perron. 

 M. Lemoine, Professor in the School of Medicine of Rheims, 

 exhibited a rich collection of objects of palxontological interest 

 which had been formed by him from the surrounding district. 

 This was exceptionally rich in objects of the cretaceous period, 

 mostly of polished stone, and wonderfully preserved in the caves 

 so numerous in the cretaceous formation, and which are now 

 utilised to protect against variations of temperature an immense 

 quantity of bottled wine destined to be sent to all parts of the 

 world. An excursion, specially interesting for archccologists^ 

 was organised to Epernay, where M. Baye, a rich proprietor, 



had collected in his chateau a number of curiosities belonging to 

 the Carlovingian periods. Two other special excursions were 

 organised, the first to the ruins of old Courcy Castle and 

 St. Gobain, the largest glass foundry in France, where a 

 large lump was cast in presence of the visitors, and the 

 second to St. Menehould, which was supposed in former 

 times to be the key of French independence. The most attrac- 

 tive excursion was undoubtedly to the caves where champagne 

 is manufactured by the old process, which was scientifically 

 described by M. Franjois, a chemist of Chalons-sur-Marne. A 

 demonstration of the principles of the operation was given in 

 the caves of Pommery, where Madame Pommery kindly per- 

 mitted the visitors to make a "practical test of the quality of 

 her celebrated produce. Synoptical tables had been prepared 

 exhibiting the progress of the manufacture. The superiority of 

 the champagne manufactured in Rheims and vicinity is attri- 

 buted not only to the long experience of the workmen and the 

 excellence of the receipts used, but to the perfect equality of 

 temperature maintained in the old galleries where it is stored. 

 Some of these are several acres in area, and are quite full of 

 bottles. After the final meeting a general excursion was made to 

 the celebrated grotto of Han in Belgium. Tlie two lectures by 

 M. Perier on " Transformism," and M. Garel on "Radiant 

 Matter," were delivered, at the solicitation of the local com- 

 mittee for their information ; the lecturers confined themselves 

 to the clear enunciation of known facts, and to experiments 

 already well known to the scientific world. M. Javal gave a 

 public lecture on the Hygiene of the Eye, and M. Richet on the 

 Symptoms of Somnambulism. About 500 members were present 

 at the meeting this year, exclusive of local members. Among 

 foreign visitors were Professors Sylvester and Hennessy. At 

 the final session M. Janssen was elected president for 1882, 

 when the meeting \\ill be held at La Rochelle, and M. Emile 

 Trelat will be general secretary ; they w ill act as vice-president and 

 vice-secretary respectively for the session of 18S1, which will be 

 held at Algiers in the first week after Easter. The president of 

 the Algiers session will be M. Chauveau, Professor at the Veteri- 

 nary School of Lyons, and the secretary will be M. Maunou-, 

 general secretary of the French Geographical Society. A very 

 large attendance is anticipated, as a diminution of 50 per cent, 

 on the fares is expected, and the vi^it will take place at an 

 exceptionally advantageous season. A general committee has 

 been formed, having at its head M. Tomel, senator of Oran, 

 and director of the newly-created School of Sciences. The 

 Governor-General \\ ill be honorary president, and M. MacCarthy, 

 president of the Algiers Society of Natural Sciences, has been 

 nominated by the General Commidee of Rheims president of 

 the Section of Geography. The Rheims authorities and citizens 

 have done eveijthing within their power to welcome their guests, 

 and the meeting has been on the whole successful. 



From an additional Circular sent us from the American Asso- 

 ciation we see that nearly all the raiUvay lines connected with 

 Boston, the place of meeting, offer great facilities for the con- 

 veyance of members. Some of the companies indeed give those 

 attending the meeting free tickets, while the others issue tickets 

 at one-half the usual rates. Is it too much to expect similar 

 advantages from English companies? Has the attempt ever 

 been made ? 



A VERY interesting annual meeting of the Entomological 

 Club of the American Association was to be held at Boston on 

 Tuesday. Among other subjects to be brought forward, Mr. A. 

 R. Grote was to speak of generic characters in the Noctuidx ; 

 Mr. E. P. Austin hoped to exhibit some interesting series from 

 his extensive collection of North American Coleoptera; Mr- 

 Wm. Saunders to discuss Insectivorous Birds, then- merits 

 and demerits; Rev. II. C. McCook to read a paper on the 

 Honey Ants of the Garden of the Gods, Colorado ; Mr. S. H. 



