and Philosophical Society* 555 



increased, from their having originally been in the possession 

 of that indefatigable observer and original genius, Miiller. 

 The following observations in the memoir, relating to the 

 museum and its late curator, will be read with interest : — 



" The accumulation of the scientific stores of the museum, 

 through the influence of the public spirit excited and fostered 

 by the Institution, and, in its turn, giving impulse to those who 

 have conducted this branch of its objects, is beyond all the 

 anticipations of its early friends. When, at the beginning of 

 1823, those members whose names continually appear as con- 

 tributors, presented the fine fossil skeleton of the Ichythyo- 

 saurus communis, which constituted the foundation stone of 

 the noble collection, it was under the condition (as stated in 

 the minutes of the committee), that it should be received 

 back * if no museum be formed' At the same time, Pro- 

 fessor Buckland and Mr. Conybeare presented a series of 

 bones from the Kirkdale Cave ; and, in the course of the 

 year, the promise of valuable deposits, — by Mr. Bright, of 

 a series of German rocks formed at Freyburgh, under the 

 inspection of Werner; by M. Muller, of his extensive collec- 

 tion of organic remains; and by Dr. Gapper, of his collection 

 of British birds; with the offer of a collection of South 

 American birds, by Mr. W. E. Acraman, — all of which 

 eventually became the property of the Institution ; together 

 with contributions for the preparation of cabinets for the 

 reception of specimens in natural history ; placed the form- 

 ation of a museum out of doubt.* From that time, by the 

 especial support and direction of the dean, Mr. Conybeare, 

 and Mr. Bright, in some departments, and of Dr. Gapper, 

 and afterwards of Dr. Riley, in others ; by the active and 

 efficient services, and the scientific knowledge and reputation, 

 of M. Miiller, and, since his death, of Mr. S. Stutchbury, 

 in the office of curator ; by the valuable cooperation of the 

 museum committee and its successive secretaries, among 

 whom Mr. W. Sanders has long given his aid with honour- 

 able zeal and perseverance; and by the contributions exten- 

 sively made, through the successful efforts of Henry Bush, 

 Esq., and others, for the preparation of cases ; the museum 

 has essentially contributed to raise the Institution to its pre- 



" * The committee, in their report for the following year, presented to 

 the Second Annual Meeting, speak of the great exertions of M. Miiller 

 for the museum, ' to whose zeal, intelligence, and activity,' they say, 

 'they must refer, as one of the main causes of its actual progress, — 

 altogether unexampled as that progress has been in the history of any 

 similar Institution of such recent origin.' " 



s s 2 



