Natural History in the English Counties. 383 



The greater portions belong to the orders Diptera and Hemiptera ; the 

 Coleoptera are next in number ; there are only a few Hymenoptera, and but 

 one Lepidopterous insect. '' As a larger collection," says Mr. Curtis, " might 

 greatly change the proportion of the different orders, no positive inference, 

 as to climate, should be drawn from the present assemblage ; but there is 

 nothing in the character of the insects to warrant the supposition of a higher 

 temperature than that of the South of France." The great portion of these 

 remains were very probably brought together from different localities by 

 floods, mountain torrents, or rivers ; yet there is no insect among them that 

 might not be found in a moist wood. The antennae, tarsi, and other parts 

 whereby the characters would be best distinguished, are often wanting ; yet 

 enough characters frequently remain even then to distinguish the genus. 

 The sculpture, and even some degree of colouring, are preserved in several 

 specimens. The wings of some beetles are extended beyond the elytra, 

 showing that when they perished, they were flying or attempting to escape 

 by flight. 



Art. VI. Natural History in the English Counties, 

 Kent. 



Museum of the Canterbury Philosophical and Literary Institution. — At the 

 commencement of the year 1825, while yet this institution was in its infancy, 

 certain of its members conceived the idea of establishing a museum, as the 

 most desirable means of diffusing information on various subjects connected 

 with general knowledge, and more especially with the several departments of 

 natural history. In a short time, and before any actual formation existed, 

 an opportunity occurred of obtaining the collection of Mr. Crow, late of 

 Margate, who had expended a long life in the acquisition of fossils, to 

 which some other miscellaneous articles were appended ; and thus a basis 

 was formed for the present arrangement. 



Mr. Crow has been a most persevering collector of fossils, &c., through 

 the whole of his long life, and many rare specimens will attest his acumen 

 as a collector. Scientific arrangement he did not affect, and most of the 

 specimens came even unnamed from him to the Society. Many depart- 

 ments have since been commenced by the industry and perseverance of 

 some of its members, aided by the liberal contributions of the public. 



Where it could with propriety be followed, the arrangement of Linnaeus 

 has been adopted ; and where it is departed from, the name of the system 

 is either furnished on the ticket, or in the article which treats of the subject 

 in the Synopsis. 



The museum comprises models of Egyptian and Roman architectural 

 antiquities, and also of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Bastile, the Pagoda 

 at Pekin, Kits Coty House, remarkable for the combat between the Britons 

 and Saxons in 445, and the singular arched rock at Tologa Bay, New Zea- 

 land. It also possesses an interesting collection of antiques, Greek and 

 Roman, together with the curfew bell which hung in Dover Castle from a 

 short time anterior to the battle of Hastings. There is a collection of 

 Greek, Roman, British, and Saxon coins ; and, among the more modern 

 English coins, is an Anglo-Gallic penny of Henry IV., and one of the 

 current farthings of Queen Anne, in fine preservation. As illustrative 

 of the manners and customs of different nations, it possesses various 

 articles, religious, warlike, and domestic, from the East Indies, South 

 Sea Islands, north-west coast of America, New Zealand, China, and Lap- 

 land. — In adopting an arrangement for the minerals, it has been con- 

 sidered most advisable to select that which should ofter the greatest facilities 



c c 4 



