20 liAXKS CELKBUVTIOX. 



in a note by (xawler (afturwards Ker) in the ' Botanical Register ' 

 for 18L7, with which this appreciation may well conclude: "The 

 pre-eminence of the Banksian Herbarium has not been estab- 

 lished so much by its extent or tiie number of celebrated ones 

 incorporated Avitli it as throuj,'li the matchless sicill and talents of 

 those wlio have superintended the determination of tlie specimens 

 and assisted in eollatiiig the whole with the Herbarium of Linnajus. 

 To whicli we may add the having been ])assed iti review by most 

 of tlie eminent botanists of the day, by whom it has been resorted 

 to from all parts as the touchstone for the essay of the synonymy 

 of their intended works, and wlio have attested their presence by 

 various suggestions and corrections on its leaves." 



[Appgvdix. — The following remarks, derived from the records 

 of the British JMuseum, are appended by the President, 

 bv permission of the Trustees.] 



Sir Joseph Banks was a very active Trustee of the I'ritish 

 Museum, and the extent of his interest and influence is show u 

 by the di:iry of ^ir. Charles Koenig, who was at lirst Assistant- 

 Keeper, afterwards Keejier, of the Natural History Department 

 of the Museum during the last decade of Sir Joseph's life. 

 In this diary there are numerous i-eferences to consultations 

 with Sir Joseph Banks and the confident acceptance of his advice. 

 A few extracts will illustrate the diversity of the subjects with 

 which he was concerned. 



On July 13th, 1810, Mr. Koenig records that he has discussed 

 with Sir Joseph the arrangenient of the (Tieville Collection of 

 minerals, just acquired by the Museum, and has devi^.ed a satis- 

 factorv plan. He adds that this '' may be deemed preferable to 

 the scheme lately proposed by M. de Bournon, of forming two 

 collections of the same kind, the one for the man of science and 

 the othei- for the stupid gaze of the visiting vulgar." 



On November 22nil, 1N14, " Sir J. Banks came to examine into 

 the state of the insect room." 



Earlv in 1815, Mr. Koenig began to improve the exhibited 

 collection of fossils, and proposed that he and Mr. Baber should 

 visit (jiern)any to purchase specimens. On February 10th, 1815, 

 the proposal was sanctioned, and Mr. Koenig was ordered to 

 wait upon Sir Joseph Banks for his instructions. 



important fossils and minerals from foreign countries were 

 continually sent to Sir Joseph Banks, who passed them on as 

 fifts to the Museum. A jaw of Mosusanras, from the Hutch 

 anatomist, Dr. Peter Camper, was given in 178-1, and this was 

 followed by other specimens until, in 1815, some remains of the 

 mammoth from Siberia, sent by the emperor of Jiussia, com- 

 pleted an important series of additions. .Sir Joseph then nsked 



