38 i Natural History i?i the English Counties. 



for the general information of the public, and, at the same time, be suf- 

 ficiently scientific for all the objects of the institution. Professor Jameson's, 

 erected upon the system of the illustrious Werner, has been found best 

 calculated to effect these objects ; more especially as it will permit accumu- 

 lations to be thrown into the respective families or groups of which it is 

 composed, without deranging the series. But as no system of mineralogy, 

 strictly speaking, embraces the numerous aggregates so extensively scattered 

 throughout the regions of the earth, a class has been appended to the four 

 forming the system of Jameson, for the purpose of comprehending them, 

 and of making the arrangement complete. All the objects, therefore, form- 

 ing this department of the museum are arranged under the five following 

 classes: — 1. Earthy minerals; 2. Saline minerals; 3. InflammrWe mine- 

 rals ; 4. Metallic minerals ; J. Aggregates. Under each of these classes 

 there is an instructive assemblage of specimens. With regard to aggregates, 

 it is observed that isolated specimens are of themselves of but little value ; 

 but when in assemblage with a natural series of bodies mutually related 

 they become singularly interesting and instructive. It is therefore hoped 

 that the lovers of science, possessing objects of this description, will favour 

 the institution, by presenting such as they may have, to be arranged with 

 this collection. The Society is largely indebted to Dr. Carter and Mr. 

 Alderman Browne, who have considerably augmented the number of Eu- 

 ropean specimens j and to General Miller of Wingham, for a valuable case 

 of South Anerican minerals. — The museum is rich in fossils, from the 

 gigantic /-ammoth to the minute zoophyte. During the formation of the 

 new road at Boughton Hill, a period of nearly four years, a great number of 

 fossils were found through the unremitting industry of Mr. H.Wrighte, which 

 he has since presented to the Society. Amongst them is a common hazel 

 nut, so perfectly muicralised that sparks may be elicited from it by con- 

 cussion with flint or metal. This specimen was seen by the late Dr. Clarke, 

 Professor of Mineralogy at Cambridge, and pronounced by him to be per- 

 fectly unique. One of the most interesting is the strobilus, or cone, of some 

 tree of the fir or cypress family, with its footstalk : it looks as perfect in its 

 detail as if fresh from the tree ; as do also the catkins of some of the amen- 

 taceous trees. Amongst the fossils is a lobster, remarkable as being one of 

 the most perfect specimens hitherto met with. It was very highly valued 

 by its late possessor, and has been eagerly enquired for by the scientific who 

 have visited the present institution. It does not appear to differ in any 

 particular from the species at present used as an article of food. — There are 

 a collection of dried specimens of plants, and several vegetable skeletons 

 principally executed by Mr. Crow. — In the conchological department there 

 IS 'a complete collection of British shells, presented by Henry Boys, Esq.,*of 

 Eastry. — The present collection of insects has been arranged on the system of 

 Linnasus, as being the most simple, though it must be acknowledged that some 

 of the genera of the order A'ptera contain insects that ought to have been 

 referred by him to other classes. Later naturalists have done this, and it is 

 intended to arrange the present collection again, for this purpose, at some 

 future period. — The birds are arranged according to the Linnean classi- 

 fication, and are exhibited as they stand in the Systhna Naturce. 



The foregoing slight outline of a museum, which bids fair to rival any 

 provincial museum in the kingdom, we have been enabled to give through 

 the kindness of the curator, Mr. William Masters, F.H.S. — 1 



Chatham Philosophical and Literary Institution. — At the Annual Meeting 

 of the shareholders, held at the Sun Tavern, Chatham, on Tuesday the 29th 

 of September, 1828, W. A. Davies,M.D. V.P., in the chair; the Secretary, 

 Mr. T. Baldock, read the report of the Committee, and the Treasurer, 

 Mr. T. Atkinson, the accounts for the past year. The Curator read the 

 list of the donations presented to the museum during the year. Officers 

 were elected for the year ensuing, and various resolutions passed. 



