478 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



rection of the Marchese Giacomo Doria, is a model institution, in view 

 of the general excellence of the plan on which it is conducted. Placed 

 on a high position, commanding a magnificent view over a most love- 

 ly landscape, surrounded by beautiful grounds, it is a jewel well wor- 

 thy of such exquisite setting. The building is large and convenient, the 

 collection one of recent date and well arranged. Its most noteworthy 

 feature is that nearly or quite all the specimens have been obtained by 

 Italian explorers, and all have been precisely determined as to their 

 original locality. The museum possesses very many special rarities, 

 in some instances the only known perfect specimens in existence, as a 

 new and undescribed specimen of a cassowary from the Arroo Islands. 

 Its publications are eminently first class, creditable alike to the liber- 

 ality of the patrons and the scientific merits of the members of this 

 institution. The director of this museum is a young nobleman of sci- 

 entific tastes and acquirements, using an ample fortune with liberality 

 and good judgment. He is a direct lineal descendant of the historic 

 Doge of Genoa, a first-cousin to the late Prince Pamphili Doria, of 

 Rome, and a near kinsman of another great benefactor of Genoa, the 

 Duke of Galliera, who signalized the last year of a useful life by the 

 gift of 30,000,000 francs to improve the harbor of Genoa. 



Milan is rich in museums and collections of various kinds, both pub- 

 lic and private. Its Museo Civico, largely devoted to collections of 

 natural history, and under the direction of Dr. Cornalia, is especially 

 rich in its collection of reptiles, claimed to be the finest in Europe^ in 

 that of paleontology, and in its collection of skulls. Its director is a 

 gentleman of high scientific attainment, and has largely contributed 

 to the growth and development of the institution over which he has 

 presided so many years. But to an ornithologist the great attraction 

 of Milan is the unequaled private collection of Count Hercules Turati. 

 His cabinet of mounted birds is the finest, as it is also one of the 

 largest, in the world, and, though there may be several public collec- 

 tions both in America and in Europe that outnumber his in species, 

 there is probably not one that approaches it in the uniform excellence, 

 beauty, and perfection of plumage. There are superb specimens of 

 every known species of the birds-of-paradise, very rare and very cost- 

 ly, and all in exquisite plumage. No expense is spared in procuring 

 additions to this collection. Liberality, courtesy, and devotion to sci- 

 ence, confirm this gentleman of rank as one of Nature's true noble- 

 men, and unite with him to render his collection a great attraction to 

 the ornithologists of all Europe. 



The Museum of Natural History of Turin was commenced under 

 the patronage of the royal house of Savoy, and is still aided by the 

 Italian Government. But just at present Italy is called upon to ex- 

 pend so much upon her armies and her navies, her railroads and her 

 public schools, that she has but little money to devote even to the favor- 

 ite museum of her kino;. Nevertheless, tliis museum contains much 



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