BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 329 



MUSEUM OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. 



Staff. Curator, Victor A. Huard; Assistant curator, Arthur 

 Thiboutot. 



Botany. 3000+ species from Canada, United States, Europe, 

 and Australia; ioo± specimens of wood from Canada. 



Education. 95 Deyrolle's tableaux on natural history and indus- 

 try. 



Geology. Minerals, 5oo±. 



Numismatics. A collection of 2727 coins and medals from all 

 countries, including 773 from Canada and 520 from the United States. 



Paleontology. 2oo± fossils. 



Zoology. Shells, 3000 species; Insects, large collections; Other 

 invertebrates, fishes, batrachians, and reptiles, small collections; Birds, 

 2 5o± species; Mammals, 50 species, 105 specimens, including nearly 

 every species of mammal from the province of Quebec; Bird eggs. 30 

 species. The insect collection includes two collections of Canadian 

 insects made by Abbe Provancher, with more than 200 types of new 

 species; also 580 species, 2300 specimens, of Canadian lepidoptera 

 collected and named by Rev. T. W. Fyles. 



Historical Sketch. The Museum of Public Instruction origin- 

 ated in 1880 in collections accumulated by D. N. Saint Cyr. It was 

 first located in the old legislative palace and in 1886 the founder was 

 appointed curator, the museum having been up to that time largely 

 his private collection. In 1889 the museum was moved to the new 

 government palace where it now is. Dr. Leonidas Larne served as the 

 second curator from 1889 to 1904. The present curator was first called 

 to the museum in 1902 for special work and was appointed curator in 

 1904. 



Financial Support. The museum receives a regular appropria- 

 tion of $600 from the legislative assembly and council of the province 

 of Quebec. 



Building. The museum occupies about 5000 square feet of floor 

 space for exhibition, and 1000 for offices in the Provincial Government 

 building. 



Administration. By a curator, responsible to the superintendent 

 of public instruction. 



Scope. The primary object of the museum is the accumulation of 

 local collections representing the province of Quebec and their utili- 

 zation for the instruction of the general public. 



Library. 250 volumes and 100 pamphlets relating to natural his- 

 tory and numismatics, intended for the use of the staff. 



