1876.] The Origin and Development of Museums. 139 
The observation of the biology, and the study of the anatomy, 
of the objects now progressed rapidly with the help of the micro- 
scope, and the works of some prominent naturalists of those 
times are a source of information not yet exhausted. The names 
of Buffon, Réaumur, Degeer, Roesel, and many others are even 
now the pride of science in nearly every country. The middle 
of the last century begins the science of the present time with the 
immortal works of Linnæus; immense progress was made in the 
century after, which he foresaw, ahd it would be almost super- 
fluous to dwell uponthe merits of Linnzeus. 
But it seems to me that one of his innovations in science has a 
striking value for the advancement of collections, which has been, 
I believe, somewhat underrated. The invention and use of his 
binomial nomenclature allowed a scientific labeling of objects. 
Formerly all names of objects were designated by the so-called 
nomen specificum (now called a diagnosis), consisting of a dozen 
words. Linnæus use of one name (he calls it a trivial one) 
for the species and one for the genus facilitated the labeling 
formerly so tedious and wordy. The advantage is obvious. The 
clear and logical mind of Linneus not only purified the system, 
but also enabled him to purge the collections of a considerable 
number of fabulous and fictitious objects, sometimes a dangerous 
task. He was obliged to leave Hamburg suddenly, and by night, 
because he declared and proved the most expensive and rare ob- 
ject of the collection of the mayor of that city to be a fraudulent 
Manufacture. It was a so-called hydra with many heads, the 
cranium having been made of weasels covered with snakes’ skins. 
The mighty owner of this exceedingly costly object grew furious 
and threatened to imprison Linnzeus as an impostor. 
The “ printed instructions ” for the arrangement of a museum 
published by Linnzeus in 1753 is the first really scientific essay, 
and has been followed by most naturalists. Indeed, even to-day 
We find the principles and rules of Linnzus more or less uncon- 
sciously followed in many museums. : 
Linneus himself built at his country-seat, Hammerby, his mu- 
‘eum, a small, square, brick building, on the top of a hill, with 
à beautiful view from his garden. I was fortunate enough, 
thirty-six years ago, to visit the place, just after the death of his 
youngest daughter. Everything was nearly in the same order as 
left by Linnaeus. The collection and library, as is well known, 
Were transferred to England. I saw them afterwards, one small 
cabinet containing the herbarium, and a similar one the insects 
