THE MUSEUM OF THE SOCIETY. 
155 
researches to other parts, by all means do so. Every specimen should 
be ticketed, and its position in the strata, and its geographical situa- 
tion, for instance, the parish or part of the parish where it was found, 
clearly marked down. As to the arrangement of the specimens, it is 
not so important that they should be classed according to this or that 
system, as that they should be so distributed that you can find each 
one so soon as you shall want it for inspection. This is the really 
useful and essential point iu the arrangement of a museum. What, 
for instance, would a tradesman do in his shop if he did not know 
the exact situation of each article therein, and produce it to a 
customer within a minute after he was asked for it ? He could not go 
on. So with a museum, every specimen should be so placed that it 
can be immediately produced when required ; if it cannot be made 
available, the collection loses its utility. If an ordinary tradesman 
knows where all his wares are to be had at a moment's notice, a 
curator ought surely to know the situation of, and be able to pro- 
duce any required specimens in the same short space of time. It is 
a mere matter of business. Having long had a considerable museum 
of my own, and having spent 40 years oi my life in the study of 
geology, I have endeavoured to render mine as useful as possible. I 
have arranged it at different times, according to different systems, 
and I have found that the only way to render a museum practically 
useful is to have it arranged as I have just stated. Mr. Greenougli 
concluded by observing, that no other district afforded such means 
for collecting a valuable museum as the West Riding of Yorkshire. 
On the 18th December a meeting of the council was held, at 
which the institution of the museum occupied the attention of those 
present. It was decided that Messrs. Briggs, Embleton, Holt, Morton, 
and the Rev. S. Sharp be a commmittee to superintend the alteration 
of the present cases and to order additional ones ; and that the sum 
of £50 in addition to the special subscription be placed at their dis- 
posal. It was further resolved that Messrs. Briggs, Embleton and 
Morton be requested to draw up instructions for the architect in 
preparing a plan and estimate for a museum, specifying the nature 
and extent of the accommodation required, and the best method of 
arranging the cases. 
