52 



The Musetim Gazette 



some false-backed frames, such as we have in use at Haslemere. 

 In many instances portraits, maps, &c, will not need to be 

 put into frames, but may be at once pinned up in well- 

 classified series on the walls. 



We have said nothing as yet as to a department which 

 ought to be made one of the most important, especially at a 

 sea-side resort. A Vivarium for the display of local specimens 

 in their fresh and living states should be arranged either in 

 an ante-room or hall, or in a shed, or under a verandah out- 

 side the building. In this should be a stand for flowers (all 

 named), and bell glasses and large saucers for the reception 

 of shell-fish, sea anemones, sponges au naturel, seaweeds 

 and corallines. Illustrations and explanatory labels for most 

 of these our Haslemere press can supply. 



The charges for admission to the show should be : before its 

 completion, sixpence each person ; when complete and in good 

 order, threepence for adults, half-price for children ; and on 

 Saturdays a penny all round. Books of tickets, making a 

 very liberal reduction, should be available. The result would 

 be, if circumstances were favourable and zeal abounded, that 

 the guarantors would lose nothing and might possibly carry 

 forward a modest balance to begin next year with. Mean- 

 while the prosperity and reputation of the sea-side resort 

 would have been helped and a large number of persons would 

 have been entertained and instructed. 



The following paragraph appeared a short time ago in one 

 of the daily papers :— 



The complaint is often made that there is little opportunity to learn 

 anything about the specimens exhibited in museums. At Brooklyn 

 the experiment has been tried of placing for the use of visitors books 

 bearing upon the subjects exhibited alongside the cases. This experi- 

 ment seems to have been most successful. 



The Brooklyn experiment is not a new one. It has been 

 practised for many years past in our museum {vide Museums' 

 Journal, vol. ii., 1902). 



