268 
POPULAE SCIENCE EEVIEW. 
“ curiosity shops ” The purposes for which a museum is established are two- 
fold. First, the diffusion of instruction and the means of rational amuse- 
ment among the people ; and secondly, to afford the scientific student every 
possible opportunity of examining and studying the specimens which the 
museum contains. Dr. Gray is of opinion that, in the desire to combine 
these two objects, which are essentially distinct, “ the first one — namely, the 
general instruction of the people — has been, to a gveat extent, lost sight of, 
and sacrificed to the second, without any corresponding advantage to the 
latter.” What the ordinary visitants to a museimi require is an arrangement 
which sets forward prominently the typical species of each group, so that, as 
it were, he that runs may read. But this condition is not presented by the 
modern museum, which “ is only to be compared to a large store or a City 
warehouse, in which every specimen that can be collected is arranged in its 
proper case and on its proper shelf, so that it may be found when wanted ; 
but the uninformed mind derives little instruction from the contemplation of 
its stores, while the student of nature requires a far more careful examination 
of them than is possible under such a system of arrangement, to derive any 
advantage.” After pointing out the fact that the more delicate specimens 
are invariably injured, and in some instances entu’ely destroyed, by exposure 
to light. Dr. Gray goes on to suggest that, “ for the purposes of scientific 
study, the most complete collection that could possibly be formed would be 
best kept in cabinets or boxes, from which light and dust would be excluded, 
in rooms especially devoted to the purpose, and not in galleries open to the 
general public.” This having been done, it would then be easy to present 
the typical species to the public under such conditions as to interest the 
merely curious observer, and convey instruction of a general character to 
those more earnestly interested in natural history. The writer advocates the 
arrangement of each series of species in a separate case, “ but instead of each 
case, as of old, containing only a single specimen, it should embrace a series 
of specimens, selected and arranged so as to present a special object for 
study ; and thus any visitor, looking at a single case only, and taking the 
trouble to understand it, would carry away a distinct portion of knowledge, 
such as, in the present state of our arrangements, could only be obtained by 
the examination and comparison of specimens distributed through distant 
parts of the collection.” According to Dr. Gray’s scheme the cases would 
be arranged to show ; — (1.) The classes of the animal kingdom, by means of 
one or more typical examples of each class. (2.) The orders of each class. 
(3.) The families of each order. (4.) Genera of each family. (5.) The 
sections of each genus. (6.) A selection of a specimen of each of the more 
important or striking species of each genus or section. (7.) The changes of 
state, sexes, habits, and manners of a well-known or an otherwise interesting 
species. (8.) The economic uses to which they are applied ; and such other 
particulars as the judgment and talent of the cm’ator would select, as best 
adapted for popular instruction. 
Dr. Gray concludes this portion of his address by remarking that by carry- 
ing out his suggestion “ the general public would infinitely better understand, 
and consequently more justly appreciate, a well-chosen and well-exhibited 
selection of a limited number of specimens, carefully arranged to exhibit 
special objects of general interest, than miles of glass cases containing thou- 
