n8 NATURAL SCIENCE. Feb.,. 1896. 



knowledge of both sections. The British Museum is fortunate just 

 now in commanding the services of two conchologists, remarkable 

 not only for their knowledge, but what is more valuable than 

 knowledge in a museum curator, namely, zeal and love for their 

 work ; and the galleries in which the Mollusca, both recent and fossil, 

 are exhibited bear testimony to the work of Mr. E. A. Smith and 

 Mr. R. B. Newton : nor should one overlook the valuable assistance 

 rendered by Mr. G. C. Crick, Mr. B. B. Woodward, Mr. G. F. Harris, 

 and Mr. H. W. Burrows. I am quite certain, however, that it would 

 be a great gain if the two disjointed departments were united, and 

 the shells arranged as they are at Caen, and I believe now at Paris, 

 in a continuous series, not stratigraphically, but according to their 

 affinities, with all the species of a genus placed together. Each genus 

 should, so far as it is known, be represented by a model of the 

 animal, with some illustrations also of its internal economy. If this 

 were done, not only would it be a gain to us but to the curators 

 themselves. I see no reason of any kind that is not fantastic against 

 it. How slight a change would be required to effect this may be seen 

 by any visitor to the gallery of Cephalopoda in the Geological Depart- 

 ment of the Natural History Museum. Most of the recent genera 

 are already exhibited here, either in the form of models, or drawings, 

 or actual specimens. This gallery proves that the officials even of 

 the Geological Department see the necessity for a large part of the 

 reform here proposed, and the success that has so far attended their 

 efforts is proof enough of the practicability of the scheme. 



But the Mollusca and Brachiopoda are only one example out of 

 many that might be brought to support the views of this paper. 



Henry H. Howorth. 



