Pilot (Naucrates), which follows in the wake of ships along with sharks, the Horse-mackarels (Carana), 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 parent 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 used 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, the larvae of which feed on 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 Tropical Africa, a small fly which by a single bite destroys horses and domestic cattle.

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

'Tables 13-24. Crustacea, such as the Land Crabs of Africa and 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 long and flat-snouted Polyodon of the Mississippi; 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 middle of the room is occupied by a Saw Fish (Pristis pectinatus), common in all tropical seas, and a most dangerous enemy to other large fish, the smaller kinds of whales, and even to man. The Saw Fish is a

Shark with the upper part of the snout prolonged into a strong and broad blade, which is armed laterally with large teeth, and generally called the "saw." The mouth itself is armed with very small teeth, which by themselves would be quite harmless. In attacking another animal, the Saw Fish tries to rip open the abdomen with its saw, and having succeeded in thus killing its prey, it feeds on the intestines and other soft organs, leaving the muscular and tougher portions to the stronger-toothed sharks. 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 mostly microscopic beings.

66

On the landing outside of this room is exhibited in a tank a specimen of the Ox-Ray from the Mediterranean (Dicerobatis), distinguished by a straight horn-like appendage on each side of the head, pointing forwards. These fishes are commonly called Sea-Devils" in the West Indies and other tropical seas, where they attain to an enormous size. Specimens of thirty feet width are on record; and the capture of such large examples is attended with considerable danger.

ALBERT GÜNTHER.

NORTH GALLERY..

SITUATED in the upper story of the Building, the North Gallery is entered either from the lobby at the north end of the Gallery of Antiquities, or from the lobby at the corresponding end of the Bird Gallery. The rooms into which the North Gallery is divided are numbered I. to VI., and the numbers will be found over the doorways. The floor of the Gallery is occupied by Table Cases, which, in the Rooms I. to IV., contain the collection of Minerals; and, in Rooms V. and VI., are devoted to the fossil remains of Invertebrate Animals. The Wall Cases throughout the Gallery are occupied by the

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY.

The Fossil remains are arranged partly in Zoological order and partly in Geological sequence; thus, the species of the natural families, such, for example, as the Ammonitida (shells allied to the Pearly Nautilus), and Terebratulida (Lamp-shells), are grouped together; but each family commences with the most recent examples of the group and terminates with those of the older rocks. The series of remains of Vertebrata, or animals with a back-bone, commences with the Fishes in Room II., is continued, on the walls facing the windows, to the last Room (No. VI.), and there returns in the Wall Cases near the windows, to terminate in Room II.

Some of the smaller objects belonging to this series will be found in the Table Cases under the windows. In the Lobby, between the Bird Gallery and the Gallery of Minerals and Fossils, is a restored model of the shell of an extinct Fossil Tortoise, of gigantic size, from the Siwalik Hills, in India. Portions of the shell and of other parts of the skeleton of several different individuals of this species of Tortoise (Colossochelys atlas), are deposited in Case 2 of Room III., and it is of casts from some of these portions that the restored model is, in a great measure, composed.

ROOM I.

FOSSIL PLANTS.-Divisions A. & B. of Case 1 contain Vegetable impressions called Alga, from their resemblance to Sea-weeds. They are found in rocks of all ages, and are almost the only Fossils met with in the very oldest strata. Division C. of the same case contains the Fossil Ferns, of the genus Sphenopteris, obtained from the Shale beds overlaying the coals.

Case 2. Divisions A. to F. contain Ferns of the Coal-measures belonging to the genera Neuropteris, Cyclopteris, Pecopteris, and Alethopteris; together with certain species which are peculiar to the Coalshales of India and Australia (Glossopteris).

In Case 3, are the Ferns peculiar to the Permian, Trias, and Lias formations, these are in division A.; where will also be found sections of silicified stems of Tree-ferns from Bohemia. In divisions B. and C. are arranged the Ferns of the Oolitic Shales of Scarborough, in Yorkshire; and, in division D. are those of the Green-sand and Wealden formations. Divisions E. and F. contain the Coal-plants called Calamites they have jointed stems, and leaves in whorls, resembling those of the recent "Mare's-tail" (Equisetum). The Asterophyllites are also placed here, being now regarded as the fruit and foliage of the Calamites.

Case 4 contains the stems of Coal-plants, called Lepidodendron, from their scaly bark, allied to the recent Club-mosses (Lycopodiacea); but they attained the size of forest-trees. Examples of the foliage and fruit of these plants, contained in nodules of clay-ironstone, are placed in the next Case (5, A. B.).

Case 5. In this case are arranged portions of the trunks of Fossiltrees, with regular furrows and impressions, called Sigillaria, also belonging to the Lycopodiacea. They are found in great numbers in most coal-fields, frequently retaining the erect position in which they grew.

The Fossils named Stigmaria, in this Case, and on the top of Case 4, are the roots of the Sigillaria. They occur in the fire-clay, beneath seams of coal. The example over the Gallery door originally measured 26 feet in length. An entire but flattened stem of Sigillaria, measuring 9 feet in length, is placed at the end of this case, on the left of the doorway leading into Room II.

Over Case 5 are placed examples of the opalized trunks of a species of Banksia from Tasmania.

Case 6 contains, 1. Fossil Plants of the Kentish-Rag and Wealden strata, including a plant related to the Dragon-tree of Teneriffe, Dracana Benstedi, from the Iguanodon Quarry at Maidstone. 2. Silicified stems of Palms from the West Indies. 3. Palm-leaves and palmlike Fruits (Nipadites), from Sheppey, the wood of which was bored by a species of ship-worm (Teredina) now extinct. 4. Leaves of Cycadean plants from Scarborough, &c. 5. Fossil Fir-cones and Pine-wood, the former from the cliffs on the coast of Norfolk, belonging to the Spruce Fir, a species which had become extinct in Britain, and has been reintroduced in modern times.