The Improvements effected in Modern Museums. 23 



tiles only, and keeping the spirit specimens in the cellar, has not 

 been adopted by our Trustees, because the larger number of 

 specimens being Australian, can be re-placed; duplicates are 

 always kept in a dark room for this purpose, and as the Museum 

 is well supplied by Professional and Amateur fishermen, we can 

 always exhibit most of our genera and species. 



The large fossil reptiles and fishes, I find, are best displayed on 

 slanting platforms ; in this manner the large " Plesiosaurus 

 Cromptonii," above thirty feet in legth, is shewn to great ad- 

 vantage, and at £he least possible expenditure of space or money. 

 This large fossil is screwed with bolts on to the boards, and the 

 margin is then plastered with cement, gradually coming level 

 with the board, so that it has the appearance of a large solid slab. 

 Smaller objects, as skeletons of Crocodiles, G-avials, Fossil Pishes, 

 &c, are fastened on by wire. 



Now, in the Dublin Museum, the original P. Cramptonii is 

 arranged on a gigantic horizontal platform or table, taking up 

 an immense amount of room, without showing much of the animal. 



Let me now say a word about the invertebrate animals, in par- 

 ticular the class Insecta, and let me draw attention to the necessity 

 of having the very best and most faithfully made cabinets for 

 them. Pew persons have the slightest idea how expensive it is 

 to keep even a moderate collection of insects in good order, in 

 particular when the cases are badly constructed. 



The fearful dust, and the ravages of the larva? of a small beetle 

 (Anthrina) make havoc in the best kept collection, if it is not 

 constantly looked after. Por insect cabinets I would propose 

 such as do not open at the top, which would at least prevent the 

 dust from entering. I cannot now go into detail, as this paper 

 has extended (already) to a much greater length than I expected. 



I observe that Dr. Gray proposes to exhibit simultaneously, and 

 visible at a glance, the egg, the larva, the plant on which it feeds, 

 the pupa, and the perfect insect, together with its varieties, and 

 the parasites by which the caterpillar is infested — a most excel- 

 lent plan, which can however be canned out only to a limited 

 extent. As far as it is possible it will be done here also, the com- 

 mencement being made with insects such as are found to be de- 

 structive to our plantations, or useful to our manufactories. 



Dr. Gray does not touch upon the mineral collection, which 

 should be well displayed in a country so rich in metal as ours. 

 Thousands of the most interesting specimens, all arranged, labelled, 

 and catalogued, fill almost every available drawer in the Museum, 

 visitors, daily, ask to see these treasures j miners are disap- 

 pointed that their interests are so little considered ; but very 

 few know that the display cannot take place because there are 

 no cabinets to protect these valuable collections. It is said 

 that these things are better managed in Melbourne, and I can only 



