4 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
of these museums were originated by local societies, and have 
been handed over to the municipal authorities for the benefit 
of the public. 
Up to a few years ago, with a few notable exceptions, 
the collections contamed in many of these museums simply 
presented a heterogeneous collection, with little or no system 
of arrangement. The adoption of more definite arrange- 
ment brought about a stage when the visitor was greeted 
by row upon row of animals, most literally stuffed, arranged 
in ranks and accompanied by labels whose principal 
mission was to convey to the public what to them is a most 
unimportant matter, the scientific names. But I think it is 
now generally recognised that the aim of the modern public 
museum is to illustrate ideas, not merely to display objects, to 
take the facts or information gathered by long years of patient 
study, and so present them that they may be understood by 
everyone. All exhibited specimens should, therefore, have 
that degree of relation to each other that they may conduce 
to the same mental impression, if real education is aimed at, 
and this should be the fundamental pet: underlying all 
modern museum exhibitions. 
The educational value of museums is recognised by all 
universities, inasmuch as every department, where possible, has 
its museum to enable the student to see the things and realise 
sensually the qualities described in lessons or lectures—in short, 
to learn what cannot be learned by words. But the “ Teaching 
Museums ” of a university are very different in character from 
Public Museums. In the first place the clientéle is altogether 
different. The university student comes to his museum primed 
with the teaching of the classroom, and inspired to acquire © 
knowledge from what may be seen there. There is not the 
necessity for special preparation to attract the interest, or — 
even to preserve the life-like characters of specimens. So long 
as a few diagnostic characters are preserved, and may be, 
