XIV PROCEEDINGS 



available of late no inconvenience to the public in this respect 

 seems likely to result. 



The policy has been to maintain the Museum as a 

 Natural History Museum almost exclusively, with a practical 

 educational purpose. By means of descriptive labels in 

 simple scientific language the main object is to stimulate 

 an interest in and love of Nature. The mere labelling a 

 specimen with its Specific name of course has its special use 

 and importance, particularly where special knowledge is 

 available in respect to particular sections of the work; but 

 not necessarily for exhibition to the public. Such collections 

 are, where possible, kept for the use of specialists. For the 

 public, and especially for the young, a general outlook on 

 Nature without unnecessary detail is vastly more interest- 

 ing and educative. 



A visit to Weihaiwei during the past summer afforded an 

 opportunity of roughly working out the natural history of the 

 island (Liu Kung tao). Specimens of practically all the 

 reptiles and amphibians were obtained, of which the pretty 

 little Argus lizard (Eremias argus) and the extraordinarily 

 beautiful Fire-bellied Toad '(Bombinator orientalis) may be 

 specially mentioned as particularly abundant. The moment 

 of first finding the latter species, which I have been trying 

 for in China for many years, was the brightest spot in the 

 year's nature study. Unfortunately this animal loses much 

 of its beauty lying dead in spirit. I had hoped to show it 

 alive but the last of 30 specimens brought to Shanghai 

 succumbed a few days ago. 



From time to time suggestions are made for the estab- 

 lishment of a museum on a larger scale than the present, 

 including an art section. Were a liberal endowment pro- 

 vided such a Museum could probably be established and 

 maintained commensurate with the size and importance of 

 the place. Shanghai is, however, mainly a place of tem- 

 porary sojourn even in the case of the Chinese population. 

 Private collections are seldom left behind. Moreover, there 

 is a considerable demand from abroad for Chinese works of 

 art and archeology. The suggested Museum would probably 

 have to depend mainly on purchase for the acquisition of its 

 exhibits. The endowment of the suggested Museum would, 

 therefore, have to be on an especially liberal scale. 



The Society's Museum may be regarded as a symbol of 

 the effort to study practically Chinese subjects. Its purpose 

 is not to collect and exhibit curiosities, but rather to stimu- 

 late that divine curiosity which leads to knowledge and 

 wisdom. It may be noted that the Society has by means of 

 occasional exhibitions and lectures been able to maintain a 

 keen interest in Chinese Art. 



