On the Formation of a Local Museum. 37
Of the first part of such a course we need not here speak ;
our present purpose is to offer some suggestions on the
second; and in so doing we cannot dwell too emphatically
upon the value of a local museum when containing well-
arranged and properly named collections of the natural pro-
ductions of the district in which it is situated.
The late Professor Edward Forbes expressed the opinion
that it is to the development of provincial museums that we
must look in future for the extension of intellectual pursuits
throughout the land. Well-arranged museums of every kind
are now, in fact, an educational necessity in every highly
civilised State; and many such exist. But in how few of
these do we find any portion of the museum set apart to
illustrate the productions of the district? The very feature
which of all others would give interest and value to the col-
lections—which would render it most useful for teaching
purposes, has in most instances been omitted, or so treated
as to be altogether useless.
Unfortunately, many country museums are little better
than raree-shows. They contain an incongruous accumula-
tion of things curious, or supposed to be curious, heaped
together in disorderly piles, or neatly spread out with in-
genious disregard of their relations. In nine cases out of
ten the only label attached to a specimen is "Presented by-
Mr. So-and-so;" the object of the presentation having been
either to cherish a glow of generous self-satisfaction in the
bosom of the donor, or, under the semblance of doing a good
action, to get rid of rubbish that had once been prized, but
latterly had stood in the way.
Curiosities from the South Seas, relics worthless in them-
selves, deriving their interest from association with persons
or localities, a few badly-stuffed quadrupeds, rather more
birds, some snakes in spirits, a stuffed alligator, part of an
Egyptian mummy, a few Indian gods, a case or two of
shells (the bivalves single, the univalves decorticated), a sea-
urchin without its spines, a few common corals, the fruit of
a double cocoa-nut, some mixed antiquities, partly local,
partly Etruscan, partly Roman and Egyptian, and a case