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facility for examining the collections under their charge. M.Eenault drew my attention to a very interesting suite of speci-mens in the collection of fossil plants. It consisted of repro-ductions in wax of fossil fruits from natural casts. The Tertiarydeposits of the Paris basin yield specimens very well suited forthis process, and the result is truthful and lifelike.

Conclusion .—Of the museums visited those of Zurich , Geneva,and Paris were those from which most could be learnt thatwould be useful to museum officials in this country. Theessentials of an effective museum from the exhibition point ofview are good light and plenty of room, and next good casing andgood arrangement. All of these were seldom found united inany museum visited. There was an abundance of instructiveobjects in all, and competent knowledge of the material accumu-lated. Many of the collections noted, however, are lodged inold buildings that have not been specially constructed for them.On the whole it may be safely said that the best museums ofnatural history established in the United Kingdom are ratherin advance of than behind the majority of continental institutionsof the same rank.