178 Notes and Comments. 



to publish catalogues. These need not always rival the 

 monographic volumes issued by the British Museum, but they 

 must follow the scientific classification and must be something 

 more than mere lists. Their compilation requires critical 

 judgment and thorough knowledge, so that here also the 

 services of outside helpers are needed 



PUBLICITY. 



We must no longer pretend that the more or less intellectual 

 gratification of the man in the street is our chief aim. Let us 

 dare to be frank with the people, neither deceiving them as to 

 our objects, nor leaving them ignorant. The popular articles 

 being issued by the United vStates National Museum, and 

 largely intended for use by the press, are an example of judicious 

 and dignified advertisement most worthy of our imitation. 

 It sounds a truism to say that the greatest enemy of knowledge 

 is ignorance, but for all that the remark will bear some pondering 

 over. If we cannot justify and explain our particular bits of 

 work to the men of ordinary education, we may find possibly 

 that we cannot justify them to ourselves. That, at any rats, 

 would be a gain. I believe that the most esoteric branches of 

 museum work can be justified, to ourselves, to our scientific 

 colleagues, and to the public ; and that it is our bounden duty 

 to do so without delay. 



A VORACIOUS MARINE PEST. 



At the annual meeting of the Eastern Sea Fisheries Board, 

 held at Spalding recently, the Inspector (Mr. H. Donnison) 

 stated that star-fish, mostly small in size, and some not as big 

 as a three-penny piece, had been very abundant, and constant 

 attention on the part of the staff had been necessary to prevent 

 them doing serious damage to the shell-fish beds. In the 

 channels and on some low-lying ground which seldom bares, 

 star-fish congregated and devoured every mussel and cockle 

 around them, gradually working up the sides of the sands for 

 more. A small special trawl, designed by the crew of the 

 Protector, was very useful in obtaining about 37 tons (which 

 meant some millions) of the pest. 



THE MORTIMER COLLECTION. 



We learn from Nature that ' Hull is probably one of the 

 few places in this country which are extending their Museums in 

 these times. It will be remembered that during the Museums 

 Conference at Hull, in 1913, Col. G. H. Clarke purchased 

 for £1,000 the Mortimer collection of Yorkshire archaeological 

 and geological specimens, which the members had an oppor- 

 tunity of visiting at Drifiield, and as the building is now 

 required for other purposes, the collections have been removed. 

 The Hull Corporation has taken some temporary premises in 

 Albion Street, in the centre of the city, and in these the entire 



Naturalist, 



