348 Miscellaneous. 



sidered as complete, or worthy the name of a scientific collection, 

 unless it contains the fossil animals and has them arranged on both 

 the first and second of these plans. 



The first is requisite to enable the zoologist to study the exist- 

 ing and the extinct animal, and without this advantage it is impossible 

 that the natural method of animals, which is the true study of the 

 scientific zoologist, can ever be discovered ; on the other hand, it is 

 only by the accurate comparison of the fossil remains of extinct ani- 

 mals with the skeletons and other hard parts of existiug animals, 

 that the proper characters of the fossil species can be discovered. 

 It has always appeared to me that a zoological collection, not con- 

 taining the fossil as well as the recent species, is as imperfect as a 

 collection of recent vertebrated animals would be if it did not contain 

 specimens of skulls and skeletons ; and a collection of shells, sea-eggs 

 and corals would be, if they were without examples of molluscous 

 and radiated animals preserved in spirits. 



The second plan, that of arranging a second series of the fossils 

 when they have been well determined by comparison with the 

 existing species, in series according to the strata in which they are 

 found, is of the same importance to the zoologist as the geographical 

 arrangement of the existing species, and of the utmost importance to 

 the geologist, as affording him one of the best characters yet dis- 

 covered for identifying the strata of the earth's surface. There are 

 several private collections of fossils in this country where this system 

 of arrangement has been carried out in a limited manner, that is to 

 say, they are chiefly confined to the fossils of this country, or of some 

 other special locality ; but I have never seen any collection where it 

 has been followed to a great extent ; and I am convinced that the 

 formation of such a collection, combining together the fossils of each 

 stratum or bed from the various parts of the world, would have a most 

 important effect on the progress of geological science, and at the same 

 time bring together facts of the greatest value to the scientific zoolo- 

 gist who is studying the development and natural arrangement of 

 organized beings. The third plan does not afford the facilities re- 

 quired by either the zoologist or the geologist, and is of as little use 

 as a collection of the kind can be. 



EARLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL MENAGERIES IN LONDON. 



The interest which has been excited by the arrival of the Hippopota- 

 mus and his keepers induces us to give insertion to the following 

 curious notice, from a record of the reign of Edw. III. in the year 

 1364 ; together with a note on the subject with which we have been 

 favoured by Prof. Owen, and some notices of the Royal Menageries, 

 and animals mentioned by our earlier historians. 



" Les Archives de Guild-Hall offrent des renseignements si varies, 

 que quelques-uns interessent meme les Sciences Naturelles ; ainsi on 

 y trouve, a la date du 4 Novembre 1364, un acte intitule Breve pro 

 bestia de terra Egypti, vocata Oure. Le roi ecrivait au maire en 

 faveur de son animal (quemdam bestiam nostram). II avait appris 

 que les habitants de Londres formaient le projet de maltraiter les 



