cleaning. In 1898 it was further opened on Sunday afternoons, and since
last June it has been opened daily, Sundays included, one portion only
being closed from time to time for cleaning and alterations. The Picture
Gallery has been inspected by 40091 visitors during the past five months
without a single day’s closure, and in consequence requires a thorough
cleaning. This will be commenced on Tuesday, November 3. It will be re-
opened on Saturday, and after that it will be open daily for an extra half-
hour up to 5.30 p.m. until further notice.

The number of visitors to the Museum on November was 2,660.

necessity of proceeding with the work of erection without delay. The
appendices by the Curator and Secretary, Mr. B. H. Woodward, deal with the
work of the year. The Museum was open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on week days
(Mondays excepted till March 15, since then Fridays excepted) throughout
the year, and from half-past 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The attendance was
24,786, average 95, on week days, and 12,217, average 243, on Sundays
afternoons. The total number of visitors was 37,093. The additions made to
the different collections were as follows :—Donations 1,627 ; exchanges,
242 ; purchases, 927 ; collected by Mr. Tunney, the Collector, 1,374 ;
total, 4,170. The funds available for expenditure amounted to £4,271 10s.
9d., and the expenditure to £4,361 6s. 8d.

Mr. H. P. Woodward, facsimiles of XIV. and XV. century sea charts and maps, with an explanatory pamphlet ;
Mr. A. F. Hamilton, a specimen of gold on calcite ;
Mr. T. W. Salkilld, a white rat ;
Mr. T. Sharland, a skeleton of an Indian boa constrictor (12ft. long) ;
Mr. T. C. Broadhurst, 33 specimens of coral and 26 birds’ eggs, from the Abrolhos
Mr. C. D. V. Foss, R.M., Carnarvon, two logs of “bulburra,” or menu.

The number of visitors on the opening day exceeded 300, on Saturday 173, on Monday 101, and on Wednesday 144.

Yours, etc.,
BERNARD H. WOODWARD.
Curator.
Perth, August 7.

The attendance at the Museum during March was 3,374, persons, of whom 1,265 went on Sunday afternoons.

The number of visitors was 1,245 for month. For the eight months since the opening the number was 8,614.

1908, which was laid on the table of the Legislative Council on Wednesday,
states inter alia :—

“The attendance at the Museum for the 12 months and at the Art Gallery
during the shorter period that it has been opened is of the most cheering
and encouraging character, showing how highly the general public
appreciate the educational advantages of these institutions. During the 12
months under review the Museum attendance has amounted to 56,097, giving a
proportion of visitors of over 1,000 a week. In regard to the Art Gallery
the record is even more encouraging. In comparing our work with that of
the Eastern States it must be remembered that as against £3,800 spent in
this State on Museum and Art Gallery purposes we have in Melbourne a State
grant of over £11,000 and in Sydney a State grant of over £10,000. It is
only by dint of the most strenuous and loyal endeavour, and by the
strictest attention to economy that the results have been secured.

“With regard to the Art Gallery we have hopes that a working arrangement
can be made with the Technical School and similar institutions, as well as
with private teachers, by which such instruction may be given in art, both
principal and applied, as will enable us to follow not very remotely the
efforts of which examples are to be found in the Eastern States of
Australia as well as at South Kensington, in London. The committee are
also anxious that pictures from the collection may be exhibited from time
to time in country towns. The obstacle in the way is want of proper room,
the absolute need of watchfulness by night and day, involving a
considerable charge, and the cost of transition, which the committee with
their limited funds find themselves unable to defray. At present with the
existing grant the committee find themselves at a standstill, being able
to do little more than keep the institutions in a state of proper repair
and as ‘going concerns.’”

The following note is added to the report: —“I may add as a postscript
that the information at my disposal enables me to say that during the five
months of the present year, since the Art Gallery was opened, the
attendance at the Gallery and the Museum has totalled no less a figure
than 41,412 souls. Nothing can be more gratifying or more cheering than
this result.”

The Director in his report on the Museum writes :—“The collections now
contain 47,178 specimens which, with the 194 cases and 40 cabinets, amount
in value to over £50,000, 5,735 specimens having been added during the
year ; while over 200 specimens have been destroyed by insects during that
time through the want of sufficient assistance.”

 

• Mr. A. Speight, two glass spear-heads ;
• Government Printer, Sydney. “Fisheries of New South Wales,” “Edible Fishes,” “History of the Fisheries,” “Marine Fish and Fisheries ;”
• Mr. J. Kimberley, two tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides), young ;
• Miss Lambert, owlet nightjar (Aegotheles novoehollandioe), young ;
• Master R. Cargeeg, two beetles (?) ;
• Dr. G. F. McWilliams, a set of coins of “Zuid Afrikansche Republick ;”
• Mr. E. Hibbert, six banded wrens (Malurus splendens) ;
• Miss Lambert, a collection of plants (56) ;
• Mr. C. J. Brittain, canary (Serinus sp.), with nest, and four eggs ;
• Mr. Ernest Loss, two beetles (?) ;
• Commissioner of Police, squat gin bottle from wreck of “Zrewky” on Houtman’s Abrolhos,
• ancient, pistol, three kylies, and a shield ;
• Curator Australian Museum, “Records, Vol. 3, No. 8 ;”
• Registrar-General, “Statistical Register, pt. 6, 1899 ;”
• Mr. S. Robson, scale-footed lizard (Pygopuslepidopus) ;
• Mr. S. Le Souef, three eggs of night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus);
• Mr. Lionel Gould, eleven Entomostraca (water-beetles) ;
• Mr. Tomb, parrot plant (Crotalaria Cunninghami) ;
• Miss V. Wiltshire, pigeon (Columba livia) ;
• Mr. M. Cantor, a beetle (?) ;
• Mr. Stidworthy, collection of eggs of night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) ;
• Mr. L. Dillon, locust (Cicada. sp.) ;
• Mr. W. D. Campbell, collection of plants (35) from Boulder City ;
• Mr. F. Manson, specimen of iron-stone ;
• Mr. A. E. Clifton, a collection of native weapons and implements from West Kimberley, a collection of malformed cow hoofs ;
• Mr. T. R. Miller, two fungi (?) ;
• Mr. C. F. Gale, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, a collection of fish, etc., from Broome ;
• Mr. W. D. Campbell, three plants from the Boulder, six native ornaments from Kalgoorlie ;
• Mr. Bernard H. Woodward, red-capped dottrel [sic] (Aegialitis ruficapilla).

The purchases include :—York devil (Moloch horridus), four black ducks (Anas superciliosa), young ; a collection of sponges.

The Collector (Mr. J. T. Tunney) has forwarded the following specimens
from Barrow Island :—Five kangaroos (Macropus sp.), rock wallaby
(Petrogale lateralis), four hare wallabies (Lagorchestes conspicillatus),
four bandicoots (Perameles macrura), white-winged wren (Malurus
leucopterus), five oyster-cakters [sic] (Hamatophus longirostris), kestrel
(Cerchneis cenchroides), osprey (Pandion leucocephalus), barred-shouldered
dove (Geopelta humeralis), white-rumped wood-swallow (Artamus
leucogaster), with three eggs ; four eggs of reef heron (Demiegretta
sacra), and two eggs of reef heron (D. greyi).

The number of visitors to the Museum during December was 3,663, of whom
1,041 came on Sunday afternoons.

officials state that this brings the total visitors for the week the
picture was on exhibition up to 104,584. When “The Light of the World” was
shown in Sydney it attracted about 304,000 persons in 27 days, in
Melbourne the figures were a little over 200,000 for four weeks, and in
Adelaide, where it has been exhibited on two occasions, the first for 12
days, the aggregate attendance was over 50,000. During the four days the
masterpiece was shown in Broken Hill 50,000 persons viewed it. From these
figures is obvious that many persons viewed the picture on more than one
occasion. Mr. Hallet, who has charge of the picture, commenced packing it
yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock, in readiness for shipment to Brisbane by
the steamer Kyarra to-day. In conversation with a “West Australian”
reporter last night, Mr. Hallet expressed himself as being delighted at
the little ceremony with which the picture was unveiled by Dr. Hackett,
the President of the National Gallery, and remarked that in no other State
had such a compliment been paid to the great work of art. He desired to
place on record his thanks to Mr. Bernard H. Woodward for unfailing
kindness towards him and the interest he had consistently shown in
managing the exhibition of the picture. The members of the Museum staff
worthily supported the director, and worked very hard. An intelligent
interest was taken in the picture by the visitors, the majority of whom
were not slow in expressing their appreciation. It was probable, remarked
Mr. Hallet, that when “The Light of the World” is returned to England its
owner, the Right Hon. Charles Booth, will present it to some public gallery.

has been arranged, in the interests of those who may be unable to see the
picture at any other time, that it shall be on view, not only throughout
Saturday and on Sunday afternoon, but on Sunday evening from 7 to 10
o’clock as well. The picture may also be inspected on Monday, but it has
to be packed for transportation to Brisbane on Tuesday. The lighting of
the work of art, which is by means of electric light, both day and night,
is as nearly perfect as it can be made.