118 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



Tlio state of things here referred to by Prof. Torbes, as a general rule will be 

 found more or less to prevail in museums established in towns that are uncon- 

 nected with men distinguislicd by their attainments in natural science. We 

 associate the museum at JCewcastle ^\-ith the names of Hancock, Alder, and 

 lliitton; that of York with Harcourt and Phillips; Bristol with Conybeare and 

 Milh-r; 'ipswich willi that of Henslow. But many museums exist without the 

 funds for enabhng their committees to maintain a permanent scientific officer as 

 curator, and without the advantage of securing for their natural history collec- 

 tions tliat aid which is witliin reach of the museums at lyewcastle,^ Ipswich, 

 and other places. In the matter of classification and the determination of 

 species, it is not enough to have the co-operation of those who are willing to 

 give time and to work with hearty zeal. The indispensable element here is 

 knowledge, and knowledge of a kind which few honorary curators can reason- 

 ably be expected to have at their command. 



Now, if that large class of provincial museums which have but very limited 

 incomes were able to take advantage of temporary competent professional 

 assistance in the arrangement of the collections they possess, the state of things 

 referred to by Professor Porbes need no longer exist. This plan, too, of tem- 

 porary curatorship has other very strong recommendations. It would put 

 museums all over the kingdom in friendly and beneficial communication with 

 one another, while a system of periodical visitation, especially if combined with 

 tlie delivery of lectures, would tend to keep alive the local spirit of interest in 

 these educational institutions, which in two many cases is now found to flag, if 

 not to lie altogctlier dormant. No man of real science going into a provincial 

 museum will look with disdain upon an Egyptian mummy, or upon the fruit of 

 a double cocoa-nut, provided these objects are shown for a definite purpose, 

 and as forming part of a series. But that which every man of science regrets 

 like Edward Eorbes is that space and money can often be found for these 

 things wlien objects of infinitely greater value receive scarcely any attention, 

 or are even altogether ignored. 



As it respects tlie sum total which museums throughout the kingdom have 

 at command after paying such necessary out-goings as rent, wages, etc., if we 

 omit the University museums and a few with incomes sufficient to enable them 

 to mainlain men of scientific reputation as salaried officers, the amount collec- 

 tively may be roughly estimated at £3,000. Now% although £3,000, if divided 

 by tlic numl)er of existing museums, gives but a small sum to each, yet, if made 

 the most of, it would do a great deal for the accomplishment of those objects 

 wiiieh these institutions profess to have in view. £3,000 would more than 

 suliiee to pay a staff of men of real scientific attainments, who should have 

 tiicir nuijcum-cireuits ; and witli the surplus, ocean-beds might be made to give 

 up tiu'ir Ireasuros, and rich fossil-bearing districts be explored. But to" do 

 this, nmseums nuist recognize the importance of mutual co-operation and the 

 acting »i)K)n some common plan. So long as each one acts independently, so 

 long may M'e expect that the state of chaos so graphically poui'trayed by Prof. 

 Forbes will more or less ]n'evail, and many of these institutions be only theo- 

 retically what they might be practically-^centres of instruction in science. — 



E. Cll.VRLKSWOUTH, P.G.S. 



Gkms and PuKCiors Stones in Situ.— Sik,— Can yon mform me if it is 

 known to what geolodcal formations diamonds, rubies, sapphii-es, emeralds, or 

 ot her precious stones belouG:? Have any, or all of these been found bisitic, 

 and if so, are they from beds similar or oi' diftereut geological ages ? 



I mTsunie they cannot be considered as being of the a2:e of the gravels in 

 which they are usually found, but that thev must have been detached from 

 .some stratum in the locality from which the "gravels tliomsclvcs were derived. 

 Any niformation on these points will oblige, yoiu's fdtlifully, Inquirer. 



