11 



ready assistance to the more matured votary of the 

 science, inasmuch as the analysis of the principal 

 mineral substances are now placed in a tabular form, 

 at the head of each group. In the zoological room, 

 alterations, which though not so extensive, perhaps, of 

 not less importance, have taken place. The large Ian- 

 thorn light, which had been for several years a constant 

 source of annoyance on account of its imperfect con- 

 struction, has been replaced by an entirely new one, in 

 which all the deficiencies of the former are remedied. 

 It is, therefore, confidently expected that no further 

 inconvenience will be felt. The north and south ends 

 of the gallery have been fitted up with new cases, thus 

 affording space for arranging the aquatic birds and 

 cetacgea at one end, and of the reptiles and fishes at the 

 other. In the latter department several accessions 

 have been made, especially among our native fishes, 

 and the valuable collection which the Society pur- 

 chased many years since, from the Mediterranean, 

 have all undergone a thorough revision, and been 

 placed in more suitable jars, and named. The cases in 

 the lower part of the zoological room have been 

 considerably improved, so as not only to afford 

 accommodation for double the number of specimens 

 they held before, but also to admit a much better 

 light. In the departments of mammalia and orni- 



