REPORT ON MUSEUM WORK XI 



hauled and re-arranged the exhibited collection. He has now 

 been setting out the minerals in standard cardboard trays, 

 which in itself quite transforms the general appearance of the 

 collection. A further great improvement has been brought 

 about by having upright centre cases fitted above five of the 

 desk cases, and using them for the exhibition of specially fine 

 specimens. Such centre cases should undoubtedly be fitted 

 to all the desk cases in the mineral galleries, and I hope we 

 shall in time be able to provide them. A second batch of five 

 at the present time would greatly facilitate Mr. Walther's 

 work. He is now engaged in preparing a complete tabulated 

 catalogue of the collection, and from this catalogue the labels 

 will afterwards be printed. His brother, Mr. W. Walther, has 

 kindly defrayed the cost of a small printing outfit for this 

 purpose. 



A few other matters may also be referred to briefly : 



Wild flowers. Fresh wild flowers have again been shown 

 on the counter in the entrance hall, and, as was the case last 

 year, we have been indebted for supplies chiefly to Mr. Randal 

 B. Cooke, of Corbridge, and Mr. Carins of Ovington. Miss 

 Scott has taken readily and successfully to the duty of 

 identifying and tending the flowers. 



Taxidermy. Not much has been done this year. I have 

 mounted a nestling raven and a hamster (a Continental 

 rodent). A Welsh example of the polecat, presented in the 

 flesh by Mr. George Bolam, has been mounted by a pro- 

 fessional. 



Parties conducted. At various times during the year I 

 have met parties by arrangement and conducted them round 

 the Museum, In December we had a visit of an unusual 

 kind : at the suggestion and at the expense of Mrs. Pease, a 

 large party of children from the Royal Victoria School for the 

 Blind were brought to the Museum. We set out a number of 

 things for them to feel and examine— mammals, large birds, 

 and ethnological objects — and they seemed to get much 

 interest and enjoyment out of the experience. 



