no 



THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



iu the Australian Museum; it should be 

 self-contained, separate from the mam 

 galleries, yet easily accessible . 



Again, many museums have a section 

 specially devoted to children, the exhibits 

 carefully cliosen to awaken the interest 

 and expand the minds of the little ones ; 

 we might well establish such a room in 

 the Australian Museum if sjjace were 

 available. 



Our library is seriously congested, and 

 we are under the painful necessity of 

 housing the overflow in cellars and other 

 imsuitable places. We have no reading 

 room, where visitors can sit in comfort 

 when consulting books of reference. It 

 must be kept in mind that a scientific 

 library is to be regarded as a tool, and 

 every workman likes bis tools to be 

 handy and in good order. 



Our storage capacity is very inade- 



(juate for the needs of our reserve col- 

 lections, which are just as important 

 as the exhibited series. Moreover, what 

 accommodation there is consists mostly 

 of ugly, galvanized iron buildings, which 

 are a continual source of annoyance. 

 They leak periodically, the insidious 

 white ant attacks the woodwork, and in 

 the heat of summer these buildings are 

 the reverse of comfortable. 



The building as it stands is incom- 

 lilete. May we not hope that at no dis- 

 tant date an effort will be made to tinish 

 at least one wing according to the plan 

 already in existence f 



We conclude witli another quotation 

 frttm G. Brown Goode : "The degree of 

 civilization to which any nation, city or 

 province has attained is best shown in 

 the character of its public museums and 

 the liberality with which they are main- 

 tained." 



Notes and News. 



Mr. Ernest Wunderlich, a higlily es- 

 teemed member of the Board of Tnis- 

 tees, who wa.s closely associated with 

 the foundation of this Magazine, left 

 in the end of Decemljer on an extended 

 trip to Europe. During his absence he 

 will visit museums and kindred insti- 

 tutions, and gatlu^r information regard- 

 ing their management. 



Dr. Arnold Henn. ol' Zurich, Switzer- 

 land, during his recent stay in Sydney, 

 paid several visits to the Museum. He 

 was particularly interested in the ethno- 

 logical collection, and has arranged for 

 an exchange of implements from the 

 Swiss lake dwelling's in retiirn for Aus- 

 tralian aboriginal objects. 



Mr. A. F. Grimble. M.A., Lands Com- 

 mLssioner, Gilbert and Ellice Island Co- 

 lony, while on a visit to Sydney in De- 

 cembea- last, called at the Museum seek- 

 ing information on the fauna of that 

 island group. He is keenly interested 

 in the fishes, and was supplied with 

 collecting gear, and will send back his 

 takings for identification. 



The Museum field parties, consisting 

 of Messrs. A. F. Basset Hull, E. L. 

 Troughton, H. S. Grant, and J. H. 

 Wright, who were collecting in South 

 and Western Australia, have now re- 

 turned, bringing a large series of mam- 

 mals, birds, and other specimens. On 

 tlie Kecherche Archipelago a nmnber of 

 seals were secured, besides skins and 

 eggs of sea birds. 



Messrs. A. R. McCulloch, E. L. Trough- 

 ton, G. C. Clutton. W. Barnes, and Miss 

 P. F. Clarke returned from Lord 

 Howe Island about the middle of March. 

 They have been successful in securing 

 a large series of birds, and materials 

 and sketches which will be utilised in 

 preparing various scenic groups for ex- 

 hibition in the museum. The cost of the 

 expedition has been largely defrayed by 

 donations from Messrs. A. E. and 0. 

 Phillips, Sir James Burns, Sir Hugh 

 and Mr. William Dixson, to all of whom 

 our best tluinks are due for their libera- 



lity. 



