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The Museum Gazette 



a collection of stuffed birds and fossils. Our pages have, it is 

 true, been hitherto largely occupied with natural history and 

 natural phenomena. We claim, however, that History and 

 Biography are well within our scope, and as we close our 

 special Seaside topics with the present number, it is designed 

 to devote in future more space to humanity. Portraits, 

 anecdotes and space-for-time schedules will receive chief 

 attention, leaving to the many excellent works now easily 

 accessible all the more systematic treatment of the subjects 

 which we shall endeavour to illustrate. 



Our pages are designed especially to assist those who are 

 engaged in teaching others. They are intentionally sugges- 

 tive rather than exhaustive, and our ambition will be satisfied 

 if we succeed sometimes in placing difficult matters in a 

 clearer light and in pointing the way to original observation. 



It is to be regretted that the study of Botany has been too 

 much restricted to the examination and naming of flowers. 

 It would be most unjust to many excellent teachers to suggest 

 that the study of plant-life in its general laws and very varied 

 activities has been neglected. Yet it remains true that in the 

 popular teaching of the subject such has been too much the 

 case. Our Gazette will endeavour to divert attention to these 

 topics. Familiarity with individual plants, and their names, 

 may be gained in the vivarium and the field-ramble. It should 

 be the part of the commentator to expound so far as he is able 

 the less openly exposed pages in Nature's book. In a former 

 number we have tried to illustrate and explain the very 

 curious phenomena which attend the flowering of the lupin 

 in our London squares, and amongst other similar subjects 

 we have in our present issue something to say about the 

 growth of the Yew-berry, the Bluebell, and the withering of 

 the seed-vessels of the pea tribe. 



Our Portrait Gallery to which our Frontispiece belongs is 

 referred to at page 226. 



