CXvi PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
Then there is the Volkerkunde or Ethnographical Museum, the 
finest museum I saw in Germany. This museum is practically fire¬ 
proof, built of stone, with cement floors supported by iron pillars and 
girders. The cases, too, are constructed of iron, the only wood in 
the place being an isolated form or two for sitting on. 
Here are conserved the famous Schliemann collections, brought 
together in one large room. As some of you know, Schliemann 
worked for 12 years (1871-82) in Asia Minor, excavating what is 
described as the ancient City of Troy.* 
One word more and I have done with Germany’s museums. In 
October, 1899, Deutsches Kolonial Museum was opened by the 
Kaiser. The use of this museum is to show the various foreign 
possessions of Germany, and to bring prominently before the public 
the imports and exports of these countries. In it are to be seen 
large maps showing the routes, native settlements, depicting the 
habits of the people and the produce. A separate hall also is set 
apart in which are exhibited the products exported and lists of 
imports. 
I have said nothing about the great Art and Military museums, 
as these are outside my province; but they are great, and worthy of 
a great nation. 
On my way home I came by way of Copenhagen, and visited the 
University Museum. It was opened about thirty years ago. It is 
an enormous building, with a wealth of collections, and is much 
overcrowded. The main museum is rectangular, and has two galleries, 
lighted from the roof. On the ground floor is a collection of mammals, 
the chief feature of which is a huge case containing a series of giant 
edentates—extinct sloth-like animals which formerly ranged through¬ 
out South America. 
This priceless and interesting group was brought together through 
the efforts of Drs. Lund and Lausen, and was presented in 1845 
before the exportation of such remains was prohibited by the 
American government. 
This museum is also very rich in Arctic fauna. Two examples 
of the Great Auk are there, as well as enormous collections of Arctic 
Crustacea, mollusca, etc. The Whale collection exceeds that of any 
other museum I have ever seen, and never even in Arctic waters 
have I seen such a school. 
There is a staff of six curators, with assistants. The curators work 
three hours a day for the museum; the rest of the day is devoted 
to original work. This, I think, gives us a reason for the abundance 
of Continental literature in all branches of Natural Science. 
To sum up, I must say that the museums of Natural History 
which I saw are not to be compared with the American museums in 
matters of detail. Take the question of the general colour of the 
interior, a point already referred to, this in German museums is too 
dull. The exhibits in the vertebrates are uninteresting, because the 
animals are exhibited without any attempt at giving the natural sur¬ 
roundings, and because they are often poorly mounted, while the label, 
* See Troy, “ Chambers’ Encyclopaedia,” and “ Encyclopaedia Britannica.” 
