The W^est American Museum. 55 



brilliant halo, such as the old painters placed around the head of 

 the Holy One. 



Having now examined the three most beautilul objects in the 

 evening- sky. we left the observatory for a few hours, till the roll- 

 ing earth should bring into view new scenes of interest and beauty. 

 [to be continued.] Josiah Keep. 



THE WEST AMERICAN MUSEUM. 



It is considered advisable at this time to place a brief state- 

 ment before the people of San Diego, and others who may be 

 interested, relative to the plans of an institution that is soon to 

 be organized and that is to have its existence in this fair city. 

 Correspondence and consultations have been carried on confi- 

 dentially with some fifty interested parties during the past few 

 months. Very flattering encouragement has been received as 

 the result. It is now desired to effect immediate organization; 

 to facilitate the necessary preliminary work before incorporation 

 a brief outline of the proposed institution is presented, that its 

 friends may come forward and co-operate with us in the work. 



OBJECT. 



A Museum should contain the results of researches, should be 

 a custodian of records and preeminently it should be a factor in 

 public education. Indispensible adjuncts to a Museum are 

 libraries, laboratories for the prosecution of original investiga- 

 tions by specialists, schools for the training of its own workers 

 in the best methods known, and the publication of the results of 

 its works and discoveries. 



The work of the Museum is not intended to consist merely in 

 the forming, preservation and accumulation of material (which 

 is the ostensible aim); it is also intended to aid in the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge, to secure as complete data relative 

 to each object as possible, and a new fact should be more highly 

 prized than simple additions to the cabinets without correspond- 

 ing additions to our knowledge. 



The forming of collections is of inestimable value in facilitating 

 the study of nature, science and his'ory, and cannot well be 

 overestimated, but it need not necessarily interfere with, or pre- 

 clude equally important matters. 



SCOPE. 



It is not proposed to limit the scope of the Museum in any 

 way. Its immediate field consists of the west coast of the Ameri- 

 can continent, extending from Alaska to Cape Horn. Arrange- 

 ments are being made for the forming of large and exhaustive 

 collections representing the fauna and flora, natural resources, 

 pre historic remains, etc., etc., of the two Americas. 



Original investigations and extensive explorations will be con- 



