Haast. — ('^i the Early History of tlie Canterbury Museum. 611 



Thus one great object, the openmg of the collections for inspection, was 

 gained, and the eager interest the public took in the Museum, although a 

 guide was almost necessary to lead the visitors from one part to the other, 

 gave us new encouragement to proceed with our endeavours to have a 

 separate building erected, worthy of the position Canterbury gradually 

 assumed amongst the provinces of New Zealand. 



During the first four months of the year 1868 I was again in the field, 

 of which six weeks were devoted to the southern portion of Westland, 

 whence I returned with considerable collections, both geological and zoo- 

 logical. 



Another journey to Glenmark was made in the end of April, 1868, and 

 large quantities of moa bones exhumed, of which a number formed a 

 welcome addition to our own collections, the rest proving of great value for 

 further exchanges. About this time we received a fine collection of recent 

 molluscs, mostly from the tropics, an articulated human skeleton, and a 

 number of bird-skins, principally African, from the Vienna Zoological 

 Museum, as well as an extensive series of European pre-historic remains, 

 from the late John W. Flower, of Croydon, Surrey, to whom we had sent 

 some Dinornithic remains previously. It was this fine collection by which 

 our pre-historic series was fairly begun. I cannot help noticing here that four 

 of our first correspondents or friends with whom I initiated exchanges, have 

 already departed from this earth, although only a comparatively short period 

 of time has elapsed. Whilst Agassiz, as a great naturalist, stood in an 

 exceptionally prominent position amongst his fellow-labourers, Prauenfeld, 

 Erefft, and Flower were all three remarkable and distinguished men in their 

 own sphere of research. 



On .30th June, 1868, my contract as Provincial Geologist having termi- 

 nated, I handed the whole collections over to the Provincial Government. 

 Mr. E. L. Holmes, who since 1862 had first been my companion on several 

 of my journeys, and afterwards had acted as Meteorological Observer to the 

 province, and as Clerk to the Geological Survey, left also on the same day. 

 His departure was much regretted by me, as this gentleman, possessing 

 great zeal and energy, had been of considerable assistance to me in arranging 

 the collections, and although now settled a number of years in the Fijis as 

 a planter, he still continues to take a lively interest in the welfare of the 

 Museum, and sends, as opportunities offer, valuable contributions from 

 those interesting islands. 



No provision having been made for the proper custody of the Museum, 

 and being anxious that the collection, which I had had so much trouble in 

 bringing together, should be cared for, I ofi'ered my gratuitous services as 

 Honorary Director until the meeting of the Provincial Council, when final 



