ON NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS. 251
take the form of rudely-chipped implements of stone, found chiefly
in river gravels and in bone-caves.
Within the last few years, the study of the early remains of man,
—remains which are safely assignable to periods far beyond the
reach of historical records in Western Europe,—has attracted a large
number of students, and has acquired considerable popularity under
the name of prehistoric archaeology. Every natural history museum
should certainly contain a collection of these archaic remains. How
such a collection can be advantageously exhibited may be realised by
any one who has visited the Blackmore Museum at Salisbury, where
the munificence of Mr. William Blackmore has not only erected one
of the most elegant museums in England, but has furnished it with
a splendid garniture of specimens, all bearing directly or indirectly
upon this one branch of study.
The stone implements which form the earliest relics of man's
handiwork separate themselves into two groups—the one series rude
and unpolished, the other more highly finished—representing the
successive phases of culture which correspond respectively to Sir
John Lubbock's palaeolithic and neolithic ages. The use of stone
was followed by that of metal ; and, according to the Northern
antiquaries, whose classification is generally followed by modern
archaeologists, the use of bronze preceded that of iron. A local
museum is surely a fit resting place for such archaic objects as throw
light upon the early history of the surrounding country, and it would
be well if those who discover objects of this kind were sufficiently
public-spirited to place them in a museum, where they would
minister to the instruction of the people and the advancement of
science, rather than retain them in private collections, where they are
hidden from most students, and are oftentimes in danger of being
forgotten and neglected.
Bitterns at Maldon and Hazeleigh.—On December 22nd last "Strippy"
Clayden and "Cocker" Bundock shot a fine female Bittern in my Brick House
sluice, or gutter, as we call it. It was brought to me alive twice the same day,
being eventually purchased by Mr. Edward Sadd. On December 31st Mr.
Whymper shot a male in Hazeleigh Hall wood, which I have had set up.—
Edward A. Fitch, Maldon.