COLOUR, ETC., OF INTEEIOE OF MTJSETJM3. 317 



being tlie largest of these). It would be impossible to fill the 

 wall-cases, if properly proportioned, with these few, even given 

 all the favourable conditions of procuring the "accidentals'* 

 and varieties, under ten years. It is quite true, also, that the 

 contemplation of purely local fauna, though giving interest to, 

 and holding undue importance in the eyes of a few men, who 

 narrow their views to their own county (which, perhaps, they 

 believe in to such an extent as to seldom pass its boundaries), 

 is misleading and even possibly damaging to the student of 

 biology, who must be shown, in the clearest possible manner, 

 the affinities — say, of such a well-known bird as the heron, 

 which a local collection will tell him, by means of a huge and 

 unblushing label, is a " Blankshire bird," shot somewhere in 

 the vicinity ; not a word is said as to its being also a " British " 

 bird and also a " Foreign " bird, the heron ranging throughout 

 every county in Britain, throughout Europe, the greater part 

 of Africa and Asia, and even penetrating into Australia. The 

 remedy for this is a typical "general" collection — running 

 around the room, let us say — and a " local " collection entirely 

 distinct and separate. 



First, in the structural necessities of a museum, I place well- 

 lighted rooms — preferably from the top. Of course, side 

 windows, though giving an increase of light, yet by that very 

 increase become objectionable by making cross lights, which 

 the sheets of glass enclosing the various objects tend to 

 multiply ; next, the colour of the walls — this is very important. 

 Some museums have blue or Pompeian-red* walls, under the 

 impression that it suits certain objects ; in the instances of 

 pictures or statuary, &c., it may be right, but, for natural 

 history objects, nothing suits them and shows them- up better 

 than a light neutral tint — one of the tertiaries- — lightened con- 

 siderably, until it arrives at a light stone, very light sage, or 

 pale slate colour. The pilasters, if any, must be ignored, and 

 blended into the walls by being painted of the same colour as 

 the rem.ainder; otherwise, the first things which strike the 



* The Leicester Museum, "srhen I first came to it, had the walls of its chief room, the then 

 " Curiosity Shop," painted a dull dark red, cut up by twenty-four pilasters of a deep green, in 

 imitation of marble ; the ceiling had not been whitened for twenty yeais, and the birds and 

 animals on "hat-pegs," in cases with small panes of glass. &c.,were frightfully contrasted by 

 a backing of crude, deep ultramarine-blue ! Three primary colours. Could human per- 

 versity and bad taste go much further? 



