PHYSIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY. 57 



Zoological or Botanical, with Illustrations of the processes by which they are ob- 

 tained and applied to use, should be so disposed as best to assist the progress of 

 Commerce and the Arts. 



4. Collections of Living Animals and Plants, or Zoological and Botanical Gardens. 



The Typical or Popular Museum, for the daily use of the general Public, 

 ■which might be advantageously annexed to the Scientific Jfuseum, would require a 

 large building, in a light, airy, and accessible situation. The Collections should 

 be displayed in spacious galleries, in glass cases so closed as to protect them from 

 the dirt and dust raised by the thousands who would visit them; and sufficient room 

 should be allowed within the cases to admit of affixing to the specimens, without 

 confusion, their names, and such Illustrations as are necessary to render them in- 

 telligible and instructive to the Student and the general Public. 



The Economic Museums and Living Collections in Botany might be quite in- 

 dependent of the Zoological ones. 



The Scientific Museum, in Zoology as in Botany, is the most important of all. 

 It is indispensable for the study of Natural Science, although not suited for 

 public exhibition. Without it, the Naturalist cannot examine or arrange the 

 materials for the Typical, Economic, or Livivg Collections, so as to convey any 

 useful information to the Public. The specimens, though in need of the same con- 

 ditions of light, airiness, Ac, as, and far more numerous than, those exposed, in 

 the Tvfical cr Popular Museum, would occupy less space ; and they would re- 

 quire a different arrangement, in order that the specimens, might without injury, 

 be frequently taken from their receptacles for examination. This Scientific 

 Museum, moreover, would be useless unless an appropriate Library were included 

 in the same building. 



The union of the Zoological and Botanical Scientific Museums in one locality is 

 of no importance. The juxtaposition of each with its corresponding iwwf/ Co^- 

 lection is desireable, but not necessary — although, in the case of Botany, an ex- 

 tensive Herbarium and Library are indispensable appendages to the Garden and 

 Economic Museum. 



The existing Natural History Collections accessible to Men of Science and to 

 the Public, in or near the Metropolis, are the following : — 



In Botany — The Kew Herbarium, as a Scientific Collection, is the finest in the 

 world ; and its importance is universally acknowledged by Botanists. It has an 

 excellent Scientific Library attached to it ; it is admirably situated ; and being in 

 proximity with, and under the immediate control of the Head of the Botanic Gar- 

 den, it supersedes the necessity of a separate Herbarium for the use of that Garden 

 and Museum. But a great part of it is not the property of the Siate ; there is no 

 building permanently appropriated for its accommodation, and it does not include 

 any Collection of Fossil Plants. 



The Botanical Collection of the British Museum, consisting chiefly of the Banks- 

 ian Herbarium, is important, but very imperfect. It is badly situated, on ac- 

 count of the dust and dirt of Great Russell Street : and the want of sp;ice in the 

 existing buildings of the British Museum would prevent its extension, even were 

 there an adequate advantage in maintaining, at the cost of the State, two Herbaria 

 or Scientific Botanic Museums so near together as those of London and Kew. The 



