Notes and Commejits. 



163 



THE SCARBOROUGH MUSEUM. 

 Penny guide books to museums are now becomingf much 

 more frequent, and unquestionably do much to popularise such 

 institutions. Formerly g-uide books to an average museum 

 were sold at eighteen pence or half a crown — and were then 

 very 'dry,' and their sale was not great. The Scarborough 

 Museum is the most recent to produce a penny hand-book, 

 which is edited by Dr. J. Irving. It consists of sixteen pages, 

 and contains a chatty description of the more interesting 

 geological, natural history and archceological contents of the 

 building. Special reference is g'iven to such objects of particular 

 value that the Scarborough Literar}^ and Philosophical Society 

 possesses. In perusing the handbook, however, it is apparent 

 that even yet the museum requires a vigorous overhauling and 

 rearrangement. The way that antiquities, geological specimens, 

 and birds occur side by side with South Sea Island clubs, etc., 

 savours of a ' classification ' of half a century ago. We believe 

 the Scarborough Naturalists' Society is helping in the desired 

 direction, but probably the work of the museum is carried on as 

 well as funds will allow. We must hope for better times. 

 Till then, every care should be taken of such objects that are 

 already in the charge of the societ}-, and towards this end we 

 would strongly recommend that some of the objects now in the 

 garden — exposed to rain and frost and snow — should be put 

 under cover. : 



THE BRADFORD MUSEUM. 

 At a recent meeting of the Free Libraries, Art Gallery, and 

 Museums Committee of the Bradford Corporation, a definite 

 step was taken towards the formation of a natural history 

 collection at the Cartwright Memorial Hall. It was decided 

 that a large room at the west end of the ground floor, with the 

 adjoining small room, should be utilised for the accommodation 

 of a natural history collection, on lines suggested in. a memo- 

 randum drawn up by the Council of the Bradford Scientific 

 Association, and submitted to the Committee by Mr. S. 

 Margerison and Mr. Naylor. It was further agreed that the 

 collection should be as far as possible confined to the natural 

 history of Yorkshire, although the Committee reserve to them- 

 selves the freedom to consider on their merits any other 

 suggestions which may at any time be made, and also to 

 accept, if thought desirable, any objects or specimens offered 

 to them not of Yorkshire origin. It is pleasing to note that, 



190-5 June I. 



