118 THE VICTORIAN .VATL'RAHST. 



when the flora of a district is being gradually wrought out, and 

 it is found desirable to preserve specimens for museum or 

 teaching .purposes, then there can be no doubt that the 

 preservation of the natural shape and colour ought to be aimed 

 at. The mere systematist is apt to despise shape as a whole^ 

 and ignore colour, but in the modern study of botany both play 

 an important part, and it is well, if possible, and practicable, to 

 retain them. 



There is an obvious objection to this method of preservation,, 

 which I have heard repeated more than once, that it would be 

 inconvenient on account of the room such specimens would 

 require ; and no doubt that is an objection which has weight. 

 But it is beside the question on the present occasion, for I am 

 now speaking of the preservation of the plants of a district, 

 which there would be no difficulty in exhibiting in a public 

 museum. Thus, to take the flowering plants of Victoria, as 

 recorded in Baron von Mueller's recent "Key," there are 1760 

 species, and of these, after deducting grasses and sedges, not to 

 speak of the various Apetalous orders, there remain about i520' 

 species — not by any means requiring an excessive amount of 

 space according to their importance. And I could conceive no 

 more attractive, interesting, and instructive department in a 

 museum, and withal a more necessary one, than that which 

 displays the native flowers of the district of which it is the 

 centre in all their glory of colour, and in all their beauty of 

 form. 



Altogether the preservation of Natural History objects is now 

 receiving increased attention, commensurate with its importance^ 

 especially for teaching purposes, and Mr. Beck, of the Royal 

 Microscopical Society, London, recently described a visit to 

 the Zoological Station at Naples, where he was particularly 

 struck with the special attention given to the preservation of 

 specimens, so as to exhibit them as far as possible in their 

 natural condition. If simple, inexpensive, and eff'ective methods 

 can be devised for the preservation of specimens naturally, the 

 mechanical difficulty of disposing of them afterwards will soon 

 be solved. And I need hardly point out the beneficial eftect 

 this would have on the study of Natural Science, not only in 

 making it more practical, but also in making it more general. 

 I have reason to know that even the study of Botany in its 

 practical aspect is somewhat hindered by the expense attendant 

 upon the procuring of specimens, which, if permanently pre- 

 served in the manner to be indicated, would remove that cause 

 of offence. 



But it is time now to approach the main subject itself; and of 

 the various methods which have been proposed for the dry 



