292 Notes and Comments. 



CHARLES LAPWORTH . 



As a special supplement to Vol. XIV of the Proceedings 

 of the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society, 

 Professor W. W. Watts has published an admirable account 

 of ' The Geological Work of Charles Lapworth, M.Sc, LL.D., 

 F.R.S., F.G.S.'* Few people have had a better opportunity 

 of following Lapworth 's work than Professor Watts has had, 

 and few could have summarised that work so well. The 

 pamphlet is a line record of a great man's achievements. 



A ' B. F.' ON MUSEUMS. 



A writer with the initials F. B. (though probably these 

 should be reversed), in the Library Association Record, the 

 ofiicial organ of the Library Association, has seen a circular 

 from an American Museum, which seems to have given him 

 an idea. He writes ' The libraries have demonstrated what 

 the}^ can do for commerce and industry, and one is surprised 

 to notice that museums have hitherto made no sign to take 

 their share in this important work. The demand for economy 

 must force many corporations to consider whether they can 

 go on maintaining libraries, museums and art galleries. 

 Leicester, for instance, finds it difficult to keep the three 

 institutions going at full time. Before the abolition of the 

 rate limit, a museum was an excuse for levying an extra 

 halfpenny. That excuse has now gone, and museums will 

 have to justify their existence. With ample incomes, they 

 might be continued on present lines as a luxury, but in an age 

 of economy they might be regarded as a burden. Libraries 

 are a necessity. The commercial side of museum work, properly 

 developed, would make museums a necessity. The Phil- 

 adelphia Museum buildings now cover sixteen acres, but they 

 did not begin at that size. Their extension displays their 

 utility, and should encourage museums in Great Britain to 

 try to become equally useful.' 



MUSEUMS AN ' EXCUSE.' 



If this is the sort of drivel printed to please the 

 readers of the official organ of the Library Association, we 

 are sorry for that Association, especially as it is only recently 

 that a conference was held at that Association's request, at 

 which members of the Museums Association were invited, 

 in order, it was alleged, for a better understanding between 

 the two Associations. The real object was, however, as we 

 assumed from the remarks made Ijy a prominent Library 

 Association official, that he had misunderstood the recent Act 

 of Parliament ; expected that the Museiuns were all coming 

 under the wings of the Library Connnittees : and he even 



* 51 pages, J/-. 



Naturalist 



