130 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS, 
fossils, and where the reader and student has not the opportunity of 
examining the original specimens such things can hardy be dis- 
pensed with. The pictured record is an absolute necessity. 
March 24th, 1893. 
DEFICIENCIES OF OUR MUSEUM. 
Weare all acquainted with the difficulties encountered by our 
honored predecessors in establishing, on a firm basis, a museum for 
Hamilton. Under more favorable circumstances their successors 
have been partly successful in carrying out their intentions. It is 
always an ungracious task to point out deficiencies, but where the 
sole object is to improve on what has been already accomplished, 
this cannot be helped, so you may pardon me for pointing out a few 
things worthy of consideration. 
Conchology.—In this department we possess some interesting 
specimens kindly presented by Mrs. Charlton, Mrs. Mortimer, and 
other friends, but on the whole it must be admitted our collection is an 
exceedingly limited one. This is the more to be regretted, since shell 
collecting, Professor Gaskom’s J/a delle science, is most enthu- 
siastically pursued by many of the inhabitants here, as I well 
know. When the British Association visited Montreal a few years 
ago, perhaps nothing attracted more attention (next to Sir Wm. 
Dawson’s organic remains) than the beautiful collection of sea shells, 
(now in the Redpath Museum), dredged and mounted by the late 
Dr. P. Carpenter. It was pronounced the most perfectly arranged 
one ever seen by leading scientists. Here, as elsewhere, I have 
noticed sea shells have an especial attraction for ladies. I con- 
fess, however, some at least displayed a marked preference for such 
as had the epidermis removed by acid in order to show the 
Nacreous lustre. Many of the ones imported into Canada are thus 
injuriously treated. If ignorant dealers had not equally ignorant 
purchasers, such a state of things could not exist. If 
the state of our finances permitted the Council to sanction the 
appropriation of a small amount as the beginning for the purchase of 
the types of the different family groups and characteristic species of 
the various sea provinces, it doubtless would meet with general 
approval. The Musuem should be made as interesting as possible 
to all. The public soon tire of looking repeatedly at the same 
objects. We must keep on acquiring fresh ones to sustain a living 
