THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 15 



and was practically inaccessible to large numbers of people to 

 whom the collections would undoubtedly form a source of 

 attraction were they displayed in a more central spot. 



The trustees of the Public Library and Museums decided, 

 after careful consideration of the matter, that it would be 

 advisable to remove the collections to the buildings occupied by 

 the Library and National Gallery, where it was possible by additions 

 at the present time to secure halls suitable for the display of the 

 collections, and by means of future additions to enlarge the 

 Museum. So far back as 1856 the Government had purchased 

 what is now the Russell-street frontage of the Public Library 

 block for the purpose of erecting thereon a Natural History 

 Museum, and it is a curious coincidence that after the lapse 

 of 44 years the Museum is to find its home on this very spot, 

 which has remained vacant since that time. 



This frontage measures 255 feet in length by 55 feet in width, 

 and the funds now available are being used in building the 

 central block, measuring no feet in length. The block in 

 reality forms an extension out to Russell-street of the central 

 part of the galleries already erected ; this central part, con- 

 sisting of a large hall, no feet x 155 feet, is now available 

 for the display of part of the collection. 



When the Russell-street frontage is complete it will be in part 

 three and in part four stories high. On the basement, partly 

 below the level of the street, will be extensive work-rooms for 

 taxidermists, articulators, carpenters, &c, as well as store rooms. 

 The first floor will consist of a main entrance hall, no feet x 

 55 feet, and on the south side of this will be store and work-rooms 

 connected with the vertebrate collection, and on the north side 

 rooms connected with the geological collection. The second 

 floor will contain a central hall no feet x 55 feet, and on the south 

 side rooms connected with the invertebrate collection, and on the 

 north a lecture room and rooms connected with the mineralogical 

 collection. 



On the third floor there will be rooms for macerating and 

 the carrying on of work likely to produce unpleasant odours, 

 while a lift will place all the floors in easy communication with 

 one another. 



It will be seen that, so far as rooms are concerned, the plan is 

 to have on the basement and top floor the workshops, in the 

 centre of the building the main exhibition halls, and on either 

 side the rooms for the staff and for the housing of the reserve 

 collections. 



So far as the collections are concerned, the first object in view 

 is to have these divided into two parts — (1) a series of objects on 

 public view, and (2) a series forming what has been spoken of as 

 the reserve collection, which will be available to students in 

 various branches. For example — in the public collection there 



