THE COLONIAL MUSEUM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2199, 1 October 1907, Page 2

THE COLONIAL MUSEUM.

Special to Times.

WELLINGTON, Sept. 30. Mr. Hamilton states that tiie plans for the new Colonial Museum wiL need very careful consideration, as modern museum construction requires a great many new things that were not even dreamed of years ago. Much attention has been paid to the latest systems of warming and ventilating ouildings. “It has been found ill all towns of the Old Country,” said Mr. Hamilton to a “Post” representative, “that specimens and general fittings had been much deteriorated py smoke and bad air. Therefore, considerable expense had been incurred in purifying the air which was drawn into these institutions. Mainly the museum is to display the national and natural history'.of New Zealand, art, and general ethnology. For this there will be the requisite offices, laboratories, work-rooms, and storage places. The natural history will be set out in full and modern fashion. For instance, considerable space will be devoted to showing native birds in groups according to their habitat. For bush birds there will be trunks of trees with a foreground of scrub—one section for the smaller ones which frequent the lower reaches of the forest, and another for their larger brethren. The pigeons and the kakas, which have loftier aspirations, birds of the plains, waders in the swamp family, grass birds, sea birds, hunters of the lake shores, will all be seen in such country as they lived in in life. The shags and gannets will have rocky cliffs as their last restingplaco, and the petrels and penguins will stand on rock beaches. A special case .will harbor the birds of the subArctic islands, showing the breedingplaces of the albatross and the nollien. Another will present the southern forms of penguins. Ducks and teal will be. seen on pretty streams, and the kiwi and ka'kapo will be at borne in a piece of Alpine grass country The actual foliage and grasses which occur in various localities will bo installed. This realistic exhibition will be in addition to the sets of skins which form the scientific collection for reference purposes. It is proposed to provide a children’s department, following the American models, which have proved very successful. Specimens would be judiciously selected and placed in such a way as to be comfortably examined by the little ones and fully labelled.' It is also hoped to liavo special • collections which might- bo borrowed by teachers for nature study.