THE HANCOCK MUSEUM AND ITS HISTORY XI 



fine collection presented by Mr. Norman Cookson, the museum 

 came to possess a particularly rich mineralogical section. But 

 equally important gains were made in other departments. By 

 a process similar to that which took place with the minerals, 

 an excellent collection of shells was got together; and the 

 series of fossils, in the same way, gradually became more and 

 more fully representative, not only of the local rock-beds, but 

 of the geological succession of England as a whole. Many 

 interesting additions were made by various donors to the 

 ethnological collection. For instance it was at this period 

 that the precious examples of Hawaiian feather-work and the 

 Esquimo kayak and hunting outfit were presented. The 

 history of the kayak referred to is also that of a number of 

 other interesting objects in the museum : it was brought back 

 by one of the whaling ships which in the earlier part of last 

 century used to sail every year from the Tyne, as from nearly 

 all the ports on the east coast. 



In most museums of importance and old standing there is 

 a valuable section of the contents that is not seen by the 

 casual visitor; this section is composed of the "reference 

 collections " — sets of specimens too full and detailed for 

 exhibition to the public, and preserved in drawers and cabinets 

 for the use of specialists. The Hancock Museum is particularly 

 rich in these reference collections. The majority of them have 

 been acquired since the founding of the new museum, but 

 several date back to the period we are considering. Such, for 

 instance, are the fine collection of British shells and zoophytes 

 formed by Joshua Alder, T. J. Bold's collection of local beetles 

 and other insects, and the reference herbarium of British plants 

 selected and arranged by Prof. Daniel Oliver. The last-named 

 naturalist, for many years one of the chief officials at Kew, 

 was a local man, and was formerly an active member of the 

 Society ; he is still one of its few honorary members. T. J. 

 Bold lived at Benton ; he had an unusually good knowledge 

 of several orders of insects, both of his own district and of 

 Europe. Joshua Alder was one of the best naturahsts ever 

 connected with the Society. Most of his work was done in 



