350 



The Scottish Naturalist. 



that is valuable in these Reports and in Dr. Flower's address. 

 They are such as to repay the most careful study, and are in a 

 high degree suggestive of the true aims to be kept constantly in 

 view in the formation of museums. 



But it is probable that comparatively few members of the E. S. 

 Union read the Reports presented to the British Association with 

 close attention, if at all. I venture, therefore, to ask your tolera- 

 tion while I try to bring forward the chief lessons taught by the 

 labours of the Committee on Provincial Museums. The subject 

 is too closely germane to the aims of all healthy Natural History 

 Societies not to repay amply the time spent in its discussion. 



In respect to the far-sighted views of Professor Flower, I must 

 ask any one interested to refer to his address, and to study care- 

 fully the ideals held up there, ideals such as to be within reach of 

 attainment in the future if not at present. I shall restrict these 

 present remarks to an analysis of the Reports, which deal especially 

 with Provincial Museums, in as much as it is with these that our 

 local Societies are most closely concerned. 



The Committee, as a preliminary step, endeavoured to collect 

 information respecting the number and condition of existing 

 Provincial Museums in Great Britain. In this it has succeeded 

 to a considerable extent, though a few museums have been over- 

 looked. In the Report for 1887 there are 211 enumerated ; and a 

 few additions to the list are made in the Report of the following 

 year. 



Of these Provincial Museums there are 31 in Scotland, 167 in 

 England and Wales, and 15 in Ireland. 



In 95 the collections are entirely of a general nature ; in 92 

 there are both general and local collections; and in 16 the 

 collections are chiefly or entirely local. 



Various other points of interest are adverted to in the tabular 

 statement that follows the list ; but the only one that need be 

 quoted at present is that, of the whole number, 50 are supported 

 by special rates, and 5 by borough funds, 50 by local societies, 

 13 by local institutions, 11 by special endowments, and 21 by 

 annual subscriptions, leaving 61 unaccounted for. 



Many of the museums possess one or more collections of special 

 or local interest, which add much to their value in the estimation 

 of scientific experts. A number of the better known of these 

 collections, are named in a special list, which, however, does not 



