so depressed that there scarcely appears to be any room for their internal organs. Many Echini are found in a fossil state, particularly in the chalk. Tables 11-18. The Star-fish, some with five and others with many rays; the rays are easily reproduced when broken or injured. Tables 19-23. The Lizard-tailed Star-fish throw off the ends of their rays when they are handled or put into fresh water. Table 23. The Gorgon's Head, with its many branches, somewhat resembling the Medusa's Head of Mythology. Table 24. The Comatula, or Sea-Wigs, the living representatives of the Encrinites found so abundantly in some rocks. There is a recent Encrinite from the West Indies in a small case at the side of the doorway, and another under a glass-shade on one of the Table-cases.

THE THIRD ROOM CONTAINS THE

BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION.

The WALL CASES hold the Vertebrate Animals; the larger species, such as the Whales, Sharks, Tunny, Sturgeon and Skeleton of Sword fish, &c., are suspended on the Walls, or placed on the top of the Cases.

The TABLE CASES contain the Eggs of the Birds; a series of British Annulose Animals, to illustrate the arrangement of the British Insects, Spiders and Crabs; the Collections of the Shells and external skeletons of British Molluscous and Radiated Animals.

Several large skeletons of fishes are exhibited on the top of the table cases, viz.: the skull of the Sea-Devil or Angler (Lophius); a perfect skeleton of the Hake, remarkable by the extraordinary dilatation of the lateral processes of the vertebra; and skeletons of the Cod, Carp, and Maigre (Sciæna aquila). Also stuffed examples of a gigantic Sea-Perch from the African coast, which is known to attack bathers, and of a very large Cat-fish from the Upper Amazons, are temporarily exhibited here.

Some table cases are fitted up for the reception of instructive examples of Salmonoids; for instance, a large male Salmon in the highest condition from the Tay; its weight was forty-six pounds. Another male Salmon after spawning, from Ireland; this fish was found in an exhausted condition. A male Salmon from Denmark; on dissection it proved to be a sterile fish. Male and female of the Sea-Trout (S. trutta) from the Tweed. Other specimens of British Salmonoids are exhibited in the wall cases: large examples of the common Trout from the Thames (S. fario), weight twelve and fourteen pounds; of the Gillaroo from Ireland, and of the Great Lake Trout (S. ferox); of the Sewin of Wales, and of the Sea- or BullTrout (S. trutta).

In the Wall Cases 1-9 are the British MAMMALIA. Cases 10-30 contain the BIRDS. Among these is a specimen of the Great Auk, a species, which has now become extinct; in the bottom of the Case is

a Collection of the Nests of the smaller British Birds. Case 31. The British REPTILES. Cases 31-43. The British FISHES; the rare Ausonia cuvieri, found once only on the English coast, has recently been added; the Opah or King-fish (Lampris), one of the most delicious fishes, is represented by a full-grown example and by a skeleton, showing the enormous development of the shoulder-bones. In Table Case 1 are the Eggs of British Birds; Table Cases 2, 3, the British Annulose Animals, such as Insects, Spiders, and Crustacea; Cases 5 and 6, Shells of British Mollusca; and Case 8, the hard parts of British Radiated Animals.

FOURTH ROOM.

The WALL CASES round the Room contain the stuffed collection of Bony Fishes. The TABLE CASES contain select specimens of Annulose Animals, to exhibit their systematic arrangement.

Wall Cases 1-12 contain the SPINY-RAYED Fishes, that is, those which have numerous spines in the fin on the back, like the Perch. They are found in the sea as well as in fresh water, and form many very distinct groups. Cases 1-3. The common Fresh-water Perch of Europe and North America (Perca); the Bass of Europe, North America, Africa, India, and Australia (Labrax, Lates); the Pike-Perch (Lucioperca), celebrated for its delicious flesh; the numerous SeaPerches (Serranus, Mesoprion, Pristipoma). Case 4 the various kinds of Sea-Breams, some of which attain a weight of fifty pounds, all being esteemed as food; the Red Mullets (Mullus). Case 5 contains the Chaetodons, beautifully coloured during life, and swarming between the corals of the tropical seas; several kinds of Chilodactylus, one of the most important fishes on the Cape of Good Hope and in other parts of the South Pacific, where large quantities are dried for exportation. Case 6: the Gurnards (Trigla), the Flying Gurnards (Dactylopterus). Case 7: the Maigre Tribe (Scianida), most of which are of very large size and edible; the air-bladder of some of the Indian kinds yields isinglass, and one (Pogonias chromis) is the Drum-fish of the Americans, producing musical sounds under water; the Tribe of the Polynemidæ, easily recognized by the long filaments behind the head; one of the best sorts of isinglass is obtained from their airbladder; the Barracudas (Sphyrænida), armed with formidable teeth; the flesh of some of the West Indian species is poisonous; also several of the more important Food-fishes of Tasmania. Cases 8-10: the tribe of Trichiuride, all rapacious fish, with a long body like the Barracudas; one kind (Thyrsites) is celebrated for the excellent flavour of its flesh, and much esteemed at Madeira and in the West Indies; the species found at the Cape forms an article of export; and another kind is one of the principal food-fishes of Tasmania. The Mackarel and Horse-mackarel Tribes, found all over the globe; to these belong the Mackarel, Tunny, Bonite, the Sucker (Echeneis), which attaches itself by means of a sucker on the head to ships, sharks, turtles, etc., the John Dorees (Zeus), the Dolphins (Coryphana), the

Pilot (Naucrates), which follows in the wake of ships along with sharks, the Horse-mackarels (Caranx), with a very great variety of different kinds. Case 11 contains the head of one of the largest fishes of this group (a Serranus); it is from the Seychelle Islands, where it is known as "Vieille "; some kinds of Angler or Sea-Devil (Lophius); the Wolf-fish (Anarrhichas), which is nothing but a very large Blenny, and able to crush the hardest shells with its flat, pavement-like teeth on the sides of the jaws; the Herring-kings (Trachypterus, Regalecus), long, band-like fishes, with a silvery, scaleless body, and red fins; specimens have been found some twenty feet in length, and were mistaken for "sea-serpents;" they inhabit the greatest depths of the oceans, and when, by some accident, they come to the surface of the water, their muscles have lost all power, and they float, unable to escape. Case 12 contains the Surgeon-fishes (Acanthurus) of the West Indies and other parts of the Tropics, armed with one or several lancetlike spines on the side of the tail; the grey Mullets (Mugil); and a gigantic example of the Pipe-fish (Fistularia).

Wall Cases 13-14 contain the ROCK-FISH or WRASSES, which also have numerous spines in the fin of the back, but are provided with thick lips, and with a triangular plate of teeth in the gullet. Those living in the sea are distinguished by their vivid changeable colours; some of them are called Parrot-fishes (Scarus, Pseudoscarus), from their bony jaws, which resemble a parrot's beak, and with which they break off corals, on which they feed. Also an example of the interesting viviparous fishes of California (Ditrema) is exhibited, showing the perfectly formed young ones in the interior of the old fish. The fresh water species of this division are found only in Africa and South America, the most celebrated being the Bolti of the Nile (Chromis). Wall Cases 14-15 contain the CoD and FLAT-FISH Tribes.

Wall Cases 16-22 contain the SOFT-RAYED Fishes, that is, those which have no, or only one, strong spine in the fin of the back, or which lack the back fin altogether. The majority live in fresh water, but some tribes are sea-fishes. Cases 16-17 the Cat-fish Tribe, generally armed with strong spikes in the fins on the breast and back, provided with long barbels at the mouth, and without scales, but sometimes with large bony bucklers. Of the numerous various kinds of this tribe, the following are the most remarkable: the European Cat-fish (Silurus glanis), the largest fresh-water fish of Europe; the Bayad (Bagrus bayad), one of the largest fishes of the Nile; the Electric Cat-fish, which defends itself by electric shocks, and is found in the rivers of Tropical Africa. Case 18: the Salmonoids and Characines, the latter most valuable fresh-water fishes from South America and Africa. Cases 19-21 contain the Pikes and some tribes allied to them, as the Gar-Pike (Belone), and Flying-fishes (Exocoetus); the Carp and Herring Tribes, exemplified by the common Carp, a fish indigenous in Asia, and introduced into Europe; the Catla, the most esteemed fish in Bengal; the numerous group of Barbels, one of which is the large-scaled Mahaseer of India; the Roach, Rudd, Chub, Tench, Bream, etc. One of the largest kinds of Herrings

(Megalops), attaining to a weight of a hundred pounds, from the West Indies, is exhibited on the top of these cases. Case 22 contains the Eels, Congers and Murænas, the latter being frequently ornamented with bright colours, like snakes.

Wall Cases 23-26. The PIPE-FISHES or Sea-needles and the Seahorses (Syngnathus and Hippocampus): marine fishes of a singular shape, with a long tube-like snout, at the end of which is the small mouth, and with the body enclosed in hard, bony shields. The males carry the eggs and young ones in a pouch under the tail, or on the lower side of their body. The Globe-fishes (Diodon, Tetrodon), which are covered with spines, and defend themselves by inflating their body into a globe; they are often found floating on the surface of the water; the flesh of many is poisonous. The File-fishes (Balistes), and the Coffin-fishes (Ostracion), the body of which is enclosed in a hard, fouror five-sided case. The Sun-fishes (Orthagoriscus), well known to all fishermen on the English and Irish coasts, who find them frequently floating asleep on the surface of the sea; they attain to an enormous size, sometimes weighing 800 pounds or more, and are easily recognized by the singular shape of the body, which has the appearance as if the tail had been cut off; they are not used as food. Finally, the Lampreys (Petromyzon), the mouth of which is transformed into a sucker; by its means they attach themselves to stones, and also to other fish, feeding on their flesh. The Sea-Lamprey is the largest kind, generally living in the sea, but frequently ascending rivers for a considerable distance. The River-Lamprey is usel as bait for the Cod and other sea-fishes, and forms a valuable source of income to the Thames fishermen.

On the top of the Cases are some specimens of the larger Fish; the Sudis gigas of Guiana, the largest fresh-water fish; the Flying Sword-fish; the pike of a Sword-fish forced through the oak timber of a ship, these fish swimming with great force; a skeleton of a deep-sea fish from Madeira (Alepisaurus) and large Japanese Crab.

Tables 1-12. Insects, such as the Coleoptera, or Beetles; the Leaf beetle, or Mormolyce of Java; the Scarabæus, held sacred by the Egyptians; the large African Goliath Beetles; the Fire-fly of the West Indies; the Weevils, as the Diamond Beetle of Brazil; the longhorned Beetles, such as the Harlequin Beetle; the Tortoise Beetles; the Lady-birds, so destructive to the plant-lice. Orthopterous Insects, such as the Praying Mantis, with their eggs; the Walking Sticks and Leaf insects, resembling leaves and twigs of trees; the Crickets. Neuropterous Insects, as Dragon-flies; Ant-lions, the larvae of which form pits to catch insects; the White Ants, so destructive in the tropics. Hymenopterous Insects, as the Ichneumons, Ants, Wasps, and Bees : the most interesting of all the orders on account of the curious habits and strange instincts and powers of its members. The Lepidopterous 'Insects, such as the Butterflies, Hawkmoths, and Moths. The Hemiptera and Homoptera, with their strange forms. The Diptera, such as the Gnat and the Breeze. The Tsetse of South Africa, a fly which destroys horses and domestic cattle.

Tables 11, 12. The Spiders, as the Mygale, or Bird-catching Spider; the Mining Spiders, which dig holes in clayey banks, and close them by a door hanging with a hinge; the Scorpions; the Ticks, one of which is parasitic on the Rhinoceros. The Centipedes and Millipedes, so called from the great number of their feet.

Tables 13-24. Crustacea, such as the Land Crabs of the West Indies; the Hermit Crabs, which live in shells; the Robber Crab or Tree Lobster, which climbs the cocoa-nut trees to get at the nuts; the Lobsters and Cray-fish; the Glass Crabs found in the tropical parts of the ocean; the King Crabs of America and the Chinese seas.

FIFTH ROOM.

The WALL CASES contain the Ganoid and Cartilaginous Fishes, viz. : the Sturgeons of Europe and America, the Polypterus of Tropical Africa, and the Bony Pikes (Lepidosteus) of the North American Freshwaters, covered with scales, hard and polished as ivory; the African Mudfish (Lepidosiren), with four long threadlike limbs; in summer, before the water is dried up, it buries itself in the mud and forms a case in which it lies torpid until the rainy season begins; the Barramunda (Ceratodus), a fish hitherto known from fossil teeth only, but recently discovered living in Queensland; the Cartilaginous Fish, such as the Sharks and Rays; the Torpedo or Numb-fish, which defend themselves by means of an electric apparatus on each side of the head; the Sturgeons of the Russian and American rivers; the long and flat-snouted Polyodon of the Mississippi. On the top of the Cases are the saws of various Saw-fish, and specimens of the larger Cartilaginous fish, also some of the larger Sponges, such as Neptune's Cup. In the Table Cases are exhibited various kinds of Sponges which belong to an extensive class of living beings, mostly microscopic, in which the distinctive character of the Animal or of the Vegetable is not fully developed.

JOHN EDWARD GRAY.