356 



The Scottish Naturalist. 



common to all museums to be — i, To preserve, for the purpose of 

 comparison and study, such specimens, whether natural or artificial, 

 as may illustrate the history of the earth and its inhabitants. 2, To 

 arrange and display these specimens so as to make them most avail- 

 able for these purposes. 



Fully to carry out these objects would exceed the powers even 

 of the most extensive museum ; though a few, e.g., the British 

 Museum, are noble examples of what national resources can 

 accomplish. Nor should such a museum be much devoted to 

 what may be called local collections, as contrasted with general ; 

 though it should tend to absorb numerous smaller collections 

 where these are of special value in any regard. As contrasted 

 with museums of this class the Provincial Museums should be de- 

 voted more especially— 



1, To the collection and preservation, with the utmost complete- 

 ness, of the natural (and in some cases of the artificial) produc- 

 tions of their several districts. 



2, 1?o preserve such local collections or specimens as are of 

 special value, or are presented by the collectors or owners. 



3, To procure such other specimens as are desirable for illus- 

 trating the general principles of science, and the relations of the 

 locality with the rest of the world. 



4, So to arrange and display the specimens as to afford the 

 utmost amount of popular instruction consistent with their safety. 



5, To be of assistance to teachers and students of science in the 

 locality, and also to specialists who desire to obtain a full know- 

 ledge of the productions of the district. 



To accomplish these five objects successfully will usually tax the t 

 resources of even the best conducted Provincial Museums; though 

 even the poorer museums conducted on the above lines are of in- 

 finitely higher value than the miscellaneous accumulations that too 

 often »Mj-represent local museums. 



In the zoological collections every animal should be represented 

 in its different phases, with anatomical preparations, and in its 

 habits of life ; and beside it should be the various structures made 

 by it, e.g., nests. The same holds good in the botanical collec- 

 tions, in which, as in the zoological, the effects of environment 

 should be clearly displayed, and the fullest information regarding 

 life histories should be given. 



Geology should be represented by full series of the rocks and 



