Report of Society's Meetings. 53 
perly fitted curating laboratory, and drying space, has 
always been severely felt ; while recently the difficulty 
of taxidermic work has greatly increased owing to the 
death of the taxidermist, who, though by no means greatly 
skilled, was yet of considerable use. The arrangements 
recently san6lioned by the Dire6tors under the circum- 
stances promise, however, to be fairly satisfa6lory. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
A good deal of time is of necessity taken up by visitors 
to the Museum, especially strangers, who have frequently 
many questions to ask as to Museum specimens and 
colonial matters generally ; and also by correspondence 
both local and foreign. These are constant features of 
Museum routine ; and a great part of the educational 
value of the Institution, and of its popularity with colo- 
nists generally, is due to attention to such points. A 
very large number of the visitors are either illiterate or 
ignorant, and can only gain benefit by such general 
consideration. That such benefit is real can easily be 
tested by any regular visitor. As a matter of fa6l, from its 
being open free to all, the Museum is becoming more and 
more, and year by year, a general educating force in the 
colony, and one that in a very special way interests the 
visitors from the country distri6ls more particularly. A 
small le6lure hall, suited for public and popular demon- 
strations on Museum specimens, would have been a very 
valuable adjun6l. 
Apart from the special work of the Museum, a not 
inconsiderable portion of the time of the Curator is 
taken up each year by the general business of the Com- 
mittee of Correspondence of the Society. 
