[ ^ix ] 



problems of animal life, but those of life in general, vegetable as well as 

 animal. 



Therefore, while we have argued against the view that a Natural History Kctejition of 

 Museum ought to contain the collections needed for botanic as well as botanic exhibition 

 zoologic research, we are nevertheless prepared to recommend that such a '^^^^°"'^'^'' ^<'^- 

 museum should contain a botanic as well as a zoologic illustrative collec- 

 tion. And it is hardly necessary to remark that the arguments brought 

 forward against duplication in respect to scientific work do not apply to 

 popular exhibitions. Within certain limits the multiplication of such 

 exhibitions is all to the good. 



Influenced by these considerations we recommend that the popular 

 exhibition at present existing at the British Museum should be maintained. 

 Indeed we are of opinion that it may with profit be consideral^ly developed. 



The care, maintenance, and even the extension of such a popular The Public exhi 

 exhibition is not, in our opinion, rendered difficult by the removal from the ^^^^^oj^ k) be^ept 

 British Museum of the collections used for botanic research. On the j^^^^ ^*^™ 

 contrary, if the recommendations to which we have been led as necessarily 

 following upon the removal of those collections, namely, a formal connection 

 between the British Museum and the Eoyal Botanic Gardens be adopted, 

 they will be rendered easier ; the ample resources of Kew will be fully avail- 

 able for the maintenance of the popular exhibition at the Britisli Museum. 

 The collection of British plants displayed at present in the public gallery, 

 which is one of the most striking and useful parts of the popular exhibition, 

 could for instance be replenished whenever necessary by supplies from Kew, 

 and so in other instances. But it is not necessary for us to enlarge on these 

 details. 



On a matter of administration, however, we desire to make a distinct The future of the- 

 recommendation. The removal of the research collections from the British pi^^sent staff. 

 Museum to Kew will necessitate a modification of the stafi" of what is now 

 called the Botanical Department. It will be no longer necessary to main- 

 tain the Keeper of Botany or the assistants, since their duties will in the 

 main have ceased. We do not propose to make in reference to these any 

 recommendations. The action to be taken in respect to them must be left 

 for future consideration ; we will only remark that, though as we urged in 

 the beginning of this report the union of the two research collections will 

 be a saving in scientific labour, the enlargement of the Herbarium at Kew, 

 which will result, will necessitate an increase of the staff there. 



The retention of the popular botanic exhibition at the British Museum Staff needed for 

 will, however, render necessary the appointment of an officer to take charge of ^^® public exhibi- 

 it, and of subordinates to assist him. We are of opinion that if such an ^^"' 

 exhibition is to have the value which we look to its having, and for the sake 

 of which we have recommended its retention and further development, the 

 officer in charge of it should be a man of considerable, and indeed, perhaps, 

 of special scientific attainments. We therefore recommend that such an 

 officer be appointed, with a status and emolument not less than that of an 

 assistant keeper, that he be provided with such assistance as may be 

 necessary, and that he have an independent position, except so far as to be 

 responsible to the Director of the Natural History Departments. 



The British Museum contains botanic collections other than those The fossil plants 

 which we have hitherto considered, namely, the fossil plants. Concerning at the British 

 these we have received conflicting evidence. On the one hand, we have ^^"s^^^™- 

 been told that from the point of view of scientific research the interest and 

 value of fossil plants is greater to the botanist .than to the geologist, and 

 this has afforded a reason for transferring them as well as the herbaria to 

 Kew ; to this may be ackled the further reason that, in many respects at least, 

 for the study of these fossil pknts access to living plants is especially useful. 



