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stages in development. With the vertebrates will be exhibited
skeletons and preparations showing the circulatory and nervous
systems, with skulls prepared so as to show the dentition. The
chief variations in the characters of nests and eggs will be shown
with the birds.
One adjunct of very considerable educational importance will
be furnished in the set of " Handbooks " which will be issued one
by one as the several sections of the Museum are put into order ;
they are intended to afford such information as will enable the
visitor to understand the nature and teaching of each exhibit,
and they will be sold at a cheap rate in the Museum itself.
The gathering together of specimens and collections and
appliance for their conservation has been vigorously carried on
during the last few years, but an immense amount of work yet
remains to be done. Above all things is required Systematic
Collecting in various parts of the county. If more friends of the
movement would take up definite groups, and endeavour to
obtain all the species in those groups occurring in their districts, they
would find the occupation a delightful and instructive one, and
the results would be valuable not only to our Museums, but also
in improving our County records, which are still so incomplete
in many sections.
Gratifying aid could also be afforded by those having the
means of obtaining isolated species, specimens of which are still
unrepresented in our collections. We may particularly mention
many Birds (coast species especially), and authenticated Eggs
and Nests ; some species of Mammals, particularly the Bank
Vole, the Shrews, Dormouse, and Harvest Mouse. Fishes from
the Essex rivers, and the more uncommon marine species.
Many kinds of Marine Mollusca and Crustacea. Some of our
rarer Echinodermata, Polyzoa and Sponges, &c. Insects of
many families are required, particularly Hemiptera,
Orthoptera, and Hymenoptera. Authentic specimens of
Flowering Plants from several parts of the county are also
desired, as well as Leaf Fungi and Lichens.
To carry out fully and usefully the plans indicated, there
will necessarily be needed a large expenditure of time, energy,
and money. The modern methods of preparing specimens and
arranging museums are very interesting but exceedingly expen-
sive. To give an instance—adequately to represent some of the