The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-04-23

matter Of State pride not only, OUT ot ua-
tional glory. 1t is true that the British
Museum and the Jariin des Plantes are,
of course, on much larger sesle; yet IN
certain departments-notably those OF
oorals, echinoderrns and fshes-the Mu-
scum Of Cambridge is already superior to
them both while for its rapid progress it
is absolutely unrivaled.
The plan of the director eontemplates
an object no less glorious than that the
museum should illustrate the history Of
creation, so far as the present state OF
scientific knowledge reveals that history.
But even with the most liberal appropria-
ton for the means of present display, this
grand scheme can only be very partially
carried out in the building already erect
ed. Additions to it will become every
year more imperative. Professor Agassiz
well said that he wanted a million of dol
lars, and ii l were Government he should
have it forthwith. He desires room where
in to display all the kingdoms ofthe world
and the glory of them. In the words of
Cary, at is intended to exhibit all the
animals peculiar to the different parts OF
the world in such manner as to impress
the observer with their natural associA-
ton in nature, so that the student in natu-
rsl history shall be able to make himself
familiar in one part OF the building with
the latest result of scientific research in
working out the system of thoughts which
bind together the whole animal king
dom as unit; while in the other part
of the building the geographical distribu-
ton of animals upon the whole face of the
earth. and their various combinations and
associations in the different continents,
will be made apparent. Such twofold
arrangement of collections hiss never yet
been attempted in any museum, not even
in the largest and most prominent iustitu-
tons of the kind in Europe. The fossil
remains of past ages will be exhibited, in
like manner, in such way as to display
at the same time their order of succession
in geological periods, and the relations to
the animals now living. 1t is intended to
complete this plan by exhibiting also the
different stages of growth of all known
animals from their earliest period of devel-
opment in the egg of their adult condition.
PRICELESS SERVICES AND INVALUABLE
RESULTS.
Professor Agassiz exhibits in all his
projects a devotion to science so far
above any personal ambition as to put
/ lesser men to shame. He contemplates 4
most extensive system of exchange; de
sires the widest cooperation, with view
to avoid useless or costly competition.
His devotion inspires q similar spirit in
those who surround him. 7. G. Cary
the efficient superintendent of the business
management ofthe Observation-Disclosures
LYMAN and Alexander Agassiz, all give
their services without fee or other reward
than is inherent in their labor of itself.
Men of high scientific standing in Europe,
tempted by the pleasant prospect of help
ing to work up collection so extensive
and so interesting to the student, come
over to the assistance of Professor Agassiz
for very moderate salaries, and some of
them have endowed the Museum with val
liable collections of their own. There are
fifty or more students working in the in
stitution, in classes organized by Profes-
sor Shaler, under whose charge has been
placed the important and comprehensive
system of instruction. From year to year
the museum grows not only steadily but
very rapidly in Importance, and 1t Is hoped
that there will be no falling off in that In
terest either of the State Legislature or of
individuals. Surely it is not too much to
ask ola thriving ana prosperous State that
the distinguished man who has come to us
from afar, consecrating his life to his great
work, should see, before he himself passes
off the stage of action, the fulillment OF
his plans. the realization of his ardent and
unselfsh hopes.
have spoken of the advantages afford
ed by the museum to students, of the
rich fields of research which it affords to
the naturalist, of the untold delights it
holds for the lovers of rare specimens; per-
/ NIT me one sentence about its attractions
for the mere sight-seer. Here are shells
of infinite variety as no single sea ever
cast upon its shores, of strangely beauti-
full shapes, many of them, and dyed with
all the colors of the rainbow. Here are
sea fans, such as mermaids might have used
or syrens famed themselves with in their
wave-washed grottoes- Here, too, are spe-
cimens of coral in endless diversity, deli
cate, some of them, as frost work. Then
here is a room where all the birds of the
world seem just to have stopped singing
and paused with bright heads lifted, and
the sunshine on theirmany-coloredt Threats.
Animals are here who roamed in their life
time through far-off southern forests stuff
fed now and standing still forever. but
horribly Iife-like. Through those same