768 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXIII. 
wire is used for any special support. Thus there is nothing 
in the case or mounts capable of decay or of producing dust. 
Dust from the floors is further reduced to a minimum by hav- 
ing them covered with linoleum. The use of curtains in the 
cases’ is another unique feature. These are of the ordinary 
window-shade type and are let down in the middle, dividing 
the case into two parts and giving backgrounds. By the 
employment of curtains of different colors, pleasing effects are 
produced. The collection of corals and siliceous sponges, for 
example, is seen against a black curtain, the collection of jade 
against a red curtain, and a collection of Chinese pottery against 
a curtain of Oriental type. The division of the collections 
seemed to me likewise commendable in that it was well calcu- 
lated to arouse the interest of the average visitor. Instead of 
the usual rows of genera and species arranged in synoptic 
order, the whole effect of which is first to impress the visitor 
with the fact that he knows nothing of that science, and second 
to convince him that he does not care to, there are small collec- 
tions gathered around some common name or common idea from 
which study is led out to a wider field. Thus one case is 
devoted to a collection of doves, another to one of men-like 
apes, another to birds’ nests, etc. There are provided in 
abundance tables, chairs, and books relating to the collections 
which invite to further study. Where space does not permit 
tables, a sloping shelf, fastened to one of the pillars or walls of 
the building, is used for a book support. Framed maps, col- 
ored to show the distribution of species, are also hung freely 
about. The zodlogical-ethnographical museum is open Sundays, 
Mondays, Thursdays, and holidays from 11 to 1, and Wednes- 
days and Saturdays from I to 3, free. It is closed Tuesdays. 
Munich.— The important natural history collections in this 
city are to be seen in the building of the Academy of Science. 
This is a plain rectangular building of several stories, lighted 
by side windows. The mineralogical collection is to be found 
on the first floor, the paleontological on the second. The min- 
eral collection is a choice and valuable one, the 4,500 specimens 
exhibited being but a tenth of the entire collection. The col- 
