REMARKS ON THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
283 
where there is an excellent library for consultation, with some interesting busts and 
paintings of natives of Newcastle, who have rendered themselves eminent in science 
or art, and these will, I think, be found greater than those of many other towns 
of a similar size in Great Britain. The Museum of the Natural-History Society 
is, I believe, managed without any paid Curator,* the arrangement of each depart¬ 
ment being attended to by private gentlemen, well versed in the respective 
sciences to which they turn their attention.; the specimens are, therefore, much 
better arranged and more correctly named than, could possibly be done by any 
person pretending to a knowledge of every department of Natural History. The 
conchological department is deeply indebted to Mr. Alder, whose name is known 
every where as a talented conchologist, and whose private collection is equalled 
by few. In number of microscopic species even, it would exceed many private 
collections. The entomological department is indebted, I presume, to Mr.WAiLES, 
whose name is well known; but the Society, has much to regret in losing the 
collection (both of books and plants) of the late Mr. Nathaniel Winch. 
Owing to some misunderstanding with the Natural-History Society, they have 
been bequeathed to the Linnasan Society. The specimens would have been . 
valuable to the town as an accompaniment to the localities published in the 
Society’s Transactions at a great expense, and with the then understanding that 
Mr. Winch’s collection should ultimately revert to the Society. I am told that 
the specimens of native plants were excellent, and will even prove an acquisition 
to the Linnsean Society, in replacing inferior specimens of British plants. The 
Transactions of the Natural-History Society are enriched with a valuable paper 
containing the localities of the land and fresh-water shells, by Mr. Alder, of 
great use to the resident conchologists; but notwithstanding all the talent that 
supports these “ Transactions,’’ they entail a very heavy expense on the Society, 
being published in quarto, and many hundred copies remain unsold at the 
publishers’. Is it not surely better for a Society to publish any paper of general 
interest in one of our Natural-History periodicals ?, where, at a slight expense, 
they can obtain it themselves, as well as at the same time giving to the public 
the benefit of it, instead of its remaining enclosed within the ponderous and 
expensive boards of a quarto publication. 
Great credit is due to the local committee at Newcastle, for their general 
* The use of Honorary Curators is, I think, clearly shown in your report of the Swansea 
Literary and Philosophical Society, which represents that Institution in so flourishing a state, and 
likely to have a handsome building for the purposes of the Society. I think if an Institution is. 
wealthy it is well to have a paid Curator to stuff the birds, animals, &c., but it is, I am convinced, 
the interest of all Institutions, to put each separate department under the management of 
Honorary Curators.—[On this subject see the report of the Warrington Natural-History Society, 
in our present number.— Ed.] 
