2
institution will be a work of time ; but in order to accelerate matters I
would suggest that a ' Museum Fund ' be started among our members,
and that our Treasurer should keep a separate account of such dona-
tions, which would be allowed to accumulate, and from time to time
increased by such sums from our general income as the Council might
think proper to devote to this object, until a sufficient amount is
obtained to warrant our fixing upon some place for our permanent head-
quarters."
" Apart from the obvious advantages of having in one building our
collections, library, and meeting-room, the formation of a permanent
Museum would, I am convinced, promote our objects in many other
ways. Our ' Biological Registry Office ' would become better known
throughout the county, and useful specimens which by accident might
fall into the hands of the non-scientific would naturally be sent to our
Museum. Then the large number of species which would have at first
to be collected would lead our active workers to co-operate for a
common object—the formation of a typical collection representing the
natural history of the county. In this undertaking our would-be
beginners might well take a part, and in so doing would commence to
derive those educational advantages arising from the study of field
zoology and botany to which I have already referred."
" It will be far more satisfactory to have a general collection formed
in all parts of the county by our own members for the express purpose
of being deposited in our cabinets than to exhibit the ' tag, rag, and bob-
tail ' of old collections, or to expose to public view the faded and
dilapidated specimens to be seen in many local museums, both at home
and abroad, the authorities of which should regard their tattered
possessions with much the same feelings as did Sir John Falstaff his
ragged regiment. In addition to collections of species illustrating the
actual productions of our district, it would be most especially desirable
in the case of insects to have preparations showing the life-history at
every stage of transformation, and dissected specimens illustrating the
structure and anatomy. In time we might thus come to possess a
collection both of educational and technical value that would not be un-
worthy of a Field Club which already includes members of many of the
most influential families in the county, and which might ultimately
become of scientific use to specialists outside our own ranks—' a con-
summation devoutly to be wished.' "
The suggestion was accepted and acted upon by several of
the more energetic members, and even during the first year the
nucleus of the collections was lodged in two rooms at Buckhurst
Hill, lent for the purpose. But that is two decades ago, and it is
only to-day that we are enabled to have in view the coming em-
bodiment of the pleasant vision of a county collection of natural
history. It is needless to record the many efforts made to realize