When consulting, recently, the British Museum Catalogue

of Lizards, I found that about eighteen species or varieties

were attributed to Tasmania, whereas only about five species

are admitted by local authorities. This impressed on me the

fact which I had previously seen stated, that our natural

history collections are, in some respects, still very incomplete

McClymont, James R

University of Tasmania Open Access Repository

85CONCERNING VARIOUS MEANS OF ENCOURAGINaTHE STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY IN TASMANIA.[By James R. McCltmont, M.A.]When consulting, recently, the British Museum Catalogueof Lizards, I found that about eighteen species or varietieswere attributed to Tasmania, whereas only about five speeiesare admitted by local authorities. This impressed on me thefact which I had previously seen stated, that our naturalhistory collections are, in some respects, still very incomplete.Possibly some of the British Museum specimens of lizards arewrongly allocated, but, allowing for errors in this direction, itwould still appear that the collection of Tasmanian lizard.s inLondon is more complete than any in Tasmani:^. However,I quote the instance as typical, not as exceptional. The sameis true of the MoUusca. "Nearly half," says Mr. R. M.Johnston, " of the number of the principal type species (ofshells) are deposited in foreign museums, and are thereforeinaccessible for purposes of reference to local students " (R.S. Tas. Proc, IS90,'p. 57).I am afraid the dispersal of these specimens shows thatvery little patriotic interest is taken in this matter, and Ipurpose, briefly, to enquire how such an interest can beawakened and sustained. I shall deal with three only of themost evident means to this end.(1) The establishment of district museums.(2) The compilation of cheap scientific manuals, havingspecial reference to the natural history of Tasmania.(3) The establishment of a lectureship in biology in con-nection with the Tasmanian University.(1) My idea of a district museum is a local depository ofspecimens of the fauna and flora of some well-defined geo-graphical area, such as a group of islands, or a peninsula, ora portion of coast to a given distance inland, or a table-land,or a mountain chain. From a strictly scientific standpoint,such an area would be limited by the homogeneity of its floraor fauna, or by the individu ility of its geological features.But as one object of looal museums in a new country wouldbe to discover such boundaries, not to ratify them ; thedefinition of a museum area must, in the first instance, resultfrom convenience and practicability.If we had Field Naturalists Clubs in Tasmania there wouldbe no difiiculty about opening local museums. These clubsmake it part of their work to form collections of naturalobjects, and we can imagine wdiat healthy rivalry must becreated between clubs in different districts, each striving to^6 STUDY OF NATUEAL HISTORY IN TASMANIA.excel in the completeness and orderliness of its little localcollection. But these clubs do not exist with us, althoughefforts have been made to establish them, and, though desir-able, it is not absolutely necessary to have them before wecan hope to open a few local museums, There are manyamateur collections of shells, eggs, and other natural objectsaimlessly and almost uselessly acquired and maintained ;there are many lovers of natural history scattered throughthe country districts without any definite end in their studies,"without sijecimens to throw life into their reading, withoutthat cohesiveness and unity of purpose which co-operativecollecting for a local museum would impart. To both theseclasses I appeal ; to the former, to unselfishly contribute theirunclassified private collections to form public and classifiedones ; to the latter to contribute their time and knowledgefor the purpose of inaugurating and arranging collections fortheir district. I appeal to the well-to-do landowners of thecolony for the necessary means. Those of them—possiblythere are no exceptions—who are deej^ly interested in thespread of sound knowledge amongst the people, who areinterested in the advance ot the colony as a whole, who wouldjoyfully see Tasmania stand up and do something—to those Iappeal for aid to procure the necessary buildings and fittings.Many of them could spare a room or a renovated outbuilding ;manv of them could, at little cost, supply shelves or tables tobe converted into cases for specimens ; all of them could con-tribute their pence and their moral support.But it is to the lovers of natural history in the country dis-tricts, who with that love combine a fair knowledge at least ofthe elements of some one branch of natural science, that I lookin the first place for support. They would have to take theinitiative in their own particular districts, to air the proposal,to interview the amateur collector and soften his heart, toenlist the sympathy of the all-powerful man of substance toset the whole machinery in motion.At the outset the founders of the local museums would beencountered by serious difiiculties in the matter of pre-serving specimens. Suppose a small building be provided anddrawers or cases procured, how are the specimens to be pre-served from decay, and from insect pests ? As regards theherbarium, some useful directions are given by Mr. Spicer inhis " Handbook of the Plants of Tasmania." I wouldurgently impress upon the Eoyal Society the utility ofpublishing directions for the preservation of skins, insects,and reptiles, and regarding the best method of capturing andkilling insects. A leaflet would contain all that is necessary,and I am sure the Society would be amply repaid the triflingexpense and trouble involved in the preparation of it by theaddition to our scientific knowledge that would result there-BY JAMES R. m'cLYMONT, M.A. 87from. Let this be the Eoyal Society's contribution towards.the project.Local museums would educate in many ways, about whichI will not expatiate, as I desire to be brief and pointed.Labels would have to be prepared similar to thosd in use inthe Tasinanian museum ; but for those who had time and in-clination to pursue natural history studies there would haveto be more advanced guides in the shape of band-books tothe various branches, compiled with special reference toTasmania.(2) There is but a small demand, at present, for such hand-books, but still there is a demand ; local museums, I believe,would be the means of greatly increasing it. And I have themore confidence in proposing the hand-books, because some-things of the kind has been already adumbrated in respect ofBirds by Col. Legge, Molluscs by Mr. Johnston, Ferns by Mr.Morton. These works, if not intended to assume exactly theform of hand-books, would at least be conducive to their pre-paration. In some departments, no doubt, our existing infor-m.ation is not complete enough to justify the dogmatism of atext-book. It would be much more complete if we had localcollections open to our scientists for purposes of compirison ;but there are other departments—those I have mentioned forexample—in which we are advanced enough to speak withauthority.(3) Finally, as the cope-stone of the edifice, I would sug-gest a lectureship in biology in connection with the TasmanianUniversity. When one reflects that a brief three years agoa university was an unsuspected privilege, it may seem some-what bold even to hint at a natural history chair in connectionwith it. I could, perhaps, point with some forcibleness tothe example of other colonies ; I could mention a Tate, aMcCoy, a Hutton, and ask whether the advantages, whichhave accrued to South Australia, Victoria, and New Zealandfrom the labours of these indefatigable men of scienae, mightnot reasonably be expected to accrue to Tasmania from thelabours of one of their compeers. But I refrain, being con-fronted with the inevitable cjuestion of the means thereto.Moreover, the Council of the University have, no doubt, theirown ideas as to the fittest allocation of their funds, and thepossibility of adding another lectureship to those alreadyestablished. This much I may be permitted to hope, thatthey will duly consider the claims of biology to be repre-sented on their teaching staff, and remember the fact thattheir energy and success in biological investigations havedone as much as anything to establish the thoroughness, theoriginality, and the entire reasonableness of colonial uni-Tersities in the eyes of the educated world.

Concerning various means of encouraging

the study of natural history in Tasmania

http://eprints.utas.edu.au/16019/1/mcclymont-concerning-various-means-1892.pdf

Concerning various means of encouraging the study of natural history in Tasmania

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