524 Chronicles of Science. [July, 



XII. SCIENCE IN THE PKOVINCES. 



Local Museums and Provincial Societies. — It has of late been fre- 

 quently insisted upon, that the main objects of the various Natural 

 History Societies which exist throughout the country should always be 

 the examination of the phenomena displayed in their immediate 

 neighbourhood, that 'they should deal principally with local and, to a 

 less extent with general, subjects. In like manner a local museum, it 

 has been observed, should, above all things, include an assemblage of 

 objects, representing, as completely as it is possible, the natural history, 

 archaeology, &c, of its own district. But a truth of this kind cannot 

 be too often reiterated, nor too generally known ; and we are therefore 

 happy to find it well enunciated in a lecture delivered to the members 

 of the Bath Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club by the Bev. 

 Leonard Jenyns, M.A., President. The address remarks that in 

 national museums, we expect and ought to find everything known to 

 exist in the several classes of the animal, vegetable, and mineral king- 

 doms, so far as they can be acquired. But local establishments will 

 have limited space and funds, and must, therefore, make a judicious 

 selection. In the first formation of a museum it is not necessary to 

 be over-particular, as objects which arouse the curiosity of the un- 

 educated may excite a taste for the works of Nature or Art. But 

 beyond this there must be method and principle. The provincial 

 museum should, in the first instance, collect the productions of its 

 own neighbourhood, for the sake not only of local students, but of 

 visitors from other districts. The next suitable object, if there be 

 sufficient means, may be the collection of the productions of Great 

 Britain, and next, of other parts of the world ; but in either case the 

 collection should be purely typical — excluding closely-allied species, 

 varieties, &c. Another recommendation is the representation by 

 specimens of the whole life of an organism, its habits, uses, allies, and 

 enemies : for instance, cases of insects injurious to corn or timber, 

 showing every part of their history, with examples of others appointed 

 to keep them in check ; gall-making insects ; nest-building insects, 

 &c. It is well observed that very much of the usefulness of a museum 

 depends on the proper labelling of the specimens, which should not be 

 a mere series of names, but should include a short account of affinities, 

 structure, or uses ; a system exemplified at the Kew Museum of 

 economic botany. 



On this head we may refer to the excellent arrangement of the 

 Mollusca adopted at the Liverpool Free Museum, under the superin- 

 tendence of the Bev. H. H. Higgins. The visitor has before him a 

 short account of the group he is examining, typical British specimens, 

 typical Foreign specimens, fossil representatives, and illustrations of 

 uses. In the accompanying cabinets, for the use of students, are col- 

 lections of allied species ; where necessary, there are also well-drawn 

 illustrative diagrams. 



On the same subject is a paper, read before the Dudley and Mid- 

 land Field Club by Mr. John Jones, the Secretary, and headed, 



