10 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 
in such gatherings, only they are stowed away. By the courtesy, 
indeed, of Mr. Kershaw they may be seen, but the many, I am 
afraid, do not know the amiability of our fellow-member. The 
same complaint may be made as to oology. It is believed there is 
a good oological collection somewhere, but where that somewhere is 
no ordinary visitor can find out. The Sawropsida of Australia 
form an interesting study, and our museum ought to contain a 
fairly complete series. But here, too, we look in vain. How 
beautifully reptilia may be preserved and mounted, and made, 
instead of repulsive, almost fit for drawing-room ornaments, 
visitors to the newly established museum at Adelaide can testify. 
Without further illustration, what is sorely needed at our National 
Museum is room—room for the arrangement especially of the fauna 
of Australia—that our museum may not be simply a lounging 
place for the nursemaids of Carlton, or a show for passing visitors, 
but a place where our students of nature can find the real helps they 
need. It has also been pointed out that in many cases the nomen- 
clature is antiquated, and in some cases inconsistent. 
2nd. We ask that the overworked learned professor at the head 
of the museum should have yiven to him a staff of scientific assist- 
aunts. Our idea is that, under Professor M‘Coy, there should be a 
number of gentlemen, each one with the care of a department. We 
coul{ not expect such a list of world-known men as form the staff 
of the British Museum, nor would it be necessary. There are plenty 
of young scientists who would be willing to be working heads, and 
who, under the direction of the professor, would be able to collect, 
classify, arrange, name, and, in addition, be able—not to waste time 
by chatting with idle dilettant? or answering foolish questions—but 
to put enquirers into the way of finding solutions to their seekings. 
No one man can do or ought to try to do everything. Our colony 
is rich enough, and the students of nature are many enough, to 
warrant such an arrangement. It would be ungenerous to blame 
an overworked man, yet it is intolerable that specimens should, in 
the last two or three years (to my own knowledge), have over and 
over again been sent to Europe for identification ; of such specimens 
not a few proved new to science. We ought to be able in this 
colony, at any rate, to classify and name our own natural produc- 
tions. With increase of room and increase of men the other 
needs mentioned by our deputation to the museum trustees could 
easily be met. 
Our second museum is the technological one at the Public 
Library, of which little need be said; it is very useful, so far as it 
goes. The ethnographical department bids fair to be of much use 
to those who desire to study Polynesian races—a department that 
should be much increased by the acquisition of specimens of the 
dress, arms, iwplements, and works of art of the aboriginal people 
