ON THE AIMS AND USES OF PROVINCIAL MUSEUMS. 253
in the district of which their places of meeting are the centres, and
by publishing the results of such work, that provincial societies can
best assist in the progress of scientific research, and can establish
their rightful and honourable place in the scientific army of our
land.
We fear that it will be long ere this truth is fully recognised,
often though it has been proclaimed ; and so strongly do we feel the
waste of much power that might be most usefully employed, that we
venture to repeat it, and to press it, even at the risk of say-
ing what may, to some, seem but useless reiteration. There is little
risk of its ever being carried to excess in our provincial societies.
Assuming, then, that the above aims ought to be of paramount
importance, it may be well to consider in what ways they can be most
fully carried into effect. In some societies the only permanent
record of work done by the members is to be found in publications
that appear at more or less regular intervals ; while in others there is
no record kept beyond the unpublished minutes. Even in the former
case, the circulation of the publications is usually so limited that the
papers reach but a small proportion of the scientific public ; and they
are very apt to remain unknown to those to whom they would be of
special interest. The recent action towards affiliating the various
societies with the British Association, and the publication in the
"Transactions" of that body of, at least, the titles of the papers
read during the year in the smaller societies will do much to render
their work accessible.
Yet, even under any circumstances, as regards facility of publica-
tion, a still more valuable work would be done in the elucidation of
the fauna, flora and geology of our country, were each society to keep
constantly in view the very great value and interest of museums in
which the chief aim has been to bring together a complete series of
all the natural products of the surrounding country, along with types
selected to show clearly the leading groups of animals, plants,
minerals and strata, and their distribution over the world.
The uses of a museum are manifold, if it has been formed under
careful supervision, and worked out on well-considered lines from the
commencement ; but the formation of a museum is a work of time ;
and it is seldom in the power of any one person to carry it from its
earliest beginnings to its full maturity, even when of small size, and
devoted to a single department of science. The critical period in the 
history of a museum is, however, at its origin ; for, on the care exer-