CLASSIFICATION AND ARRANGEMENT. 32o 



size, one or more of wLicli was to be devoted to each order of 

 animals. Taking birds (for convenience) as tbe standpoint, we 

 were to place on tbe ground line " local " birds, male and 

 female, witb nest and young, and eggs, mounted with appro- 

 priate accessories, in the most complete and artistic manner. 

 This division taking up 3ft. 6in. in height out of a possible 8ft., 

 leaving 4ft. 6in. to be disposed of thus — another division for 

 "British" birds which have never been found in the locality. 

 These " British " were to be in pairs, but not very well mounted, 

 and without nests and young. Above these, again, another 

 line, exhibiting a few of the most striking typical foreign birds. 

 These " Foreign " birds were not to be well mounted, but plain 

 " stuffed." It was claimed for this that " each order would be 

 distinct, and that there would be the best opportunity of com- 

 paring the local birds with those of Britain generally and of the 

 whole world, while a real notion of the life of birds would 

 be conveyed by the full portraiture of those forms with which 

 the local visitors would be most familiar, making them distinct 

 items of knowledge in a manner scarcely ever attempted, and, 

 in fact, almost impossible with the usual methods of arrange- 

 ment. It is an elastic system, admitting of many variations, 

 while retaining the fundamental principle; and of all really 

 effective systems it is the least expensive, because it depends 

 mainly upon objects procurable in the locality. The Leicester- 

 shire species should occupy the ground line, and come up to the 

 front. The British species should be set back Sin. to 12in., 

 and the Foreign 15in. to 18in. ; but these limits might be 

 occasionally infringed where it seems necessary." 



To give the reader an idea of how disproportionate these 

 divisions would be when comparing "local" with "foreign," 

 see the diagram (Fig. 58) on page 324, representing one division 

 or " bay " marked on Plan. 



Again, it was ui'ged that " The three sections should be divided 

 horizontally, but the lines of division need not be straight. They 

 may be broken so as to preserve the pictorial effect, but not to 

 destroy the division." 



Regarding this part of the contention, it is only necessary 

 to pomt out that no " pictorial effects " were possible under such 

 a system, which is really a lucus a non lucendo. 



