No. 381.] NOTES ON SOME EUROPEAN MUSEUMS. 699 
lent manner, but they are too high. The specimens on the top 
step are too far up for any but a very tall man to inspect, and 
such high cases interfere with the architectural effect of the 
room without any compensating gain in installation. Between 
the high cases there are narrow, flat-topped table cases, which 
contain the small, fine specimens and isolated crystals of the 
collection, the classification being strictly in accordance with 
that of the high cases. In the table cases white pasteboard 
trays with green edges are used to hold the specimens, and the 
effect is not pleasing ; in the “A” cases the specimens rest 
directly upon the step shelves, which have raised edges. The 
inside of the “ A ” cases is painted a light color (either white 
or gray). Wire supports of various shapes are much used for 
the proper display of specimens, and with excellent effect. The 
large collection of meteorites and the mineral specimens which 
are too big for the cases are disposed about the hall without 
reference to classification. : 
The labels are all written by hand with India ink. An 
expert penman is employed for the work, and the labels are 
handsome in appearance, and less expensive there than printed 
labels would be. Such labels are in use throughout the 
museum, and are strongly to be recommended on account of 
their durability and appearance. To return to the mineral 
collection: the group labels are put into neat nickel frames 
which stand about four inches above the trays or the shelf. 
The individual labels are laid in trays in the table cases, but in 
the « A ” cases are tacked to the front of the step, just beneath 
each specimen. Very few of the labels contain anything but 
the name of the species and the locality from which the speci- 
men came ; thus, “ Fahlerz, Miisen, Westphalen.” When the 
mineral has a “common name” recognized in Germany, that 
alone is used, as in the instance cited. Chemical formule, 
Statements about crystalline form, etc., are relegated to the 
group labels. When specimens have come to the museum 
from some large or noted collection, that fact is indicated on 
the label. 
The petrographic collection consists of representative hand 
Specimens of all important kinds of rocks, arranged in table 
