^9'"^ NATURAL SCIENCE. ^.„,,. 



Dr. Sclater mentions in his report that the "Gurney Collection" 

 of Raptorial Birds, at the present time, consists of 3,259 specimens 

 mounted, and 1,345 unmounted specimens, and, with the possible 

 exception of the series in the British Museum, is the finest and most nearly 

 complete collection of its kind at present existing. He recommends 

 that the Diurnal Birds of Prey should be so arranged as to commence 

 on the right-hand side of the corridor as we enter from Room F, be 

 continued all round the ground floor of Room E, and finish on the 

 right-hand side of the corridor leading to Room D. The Nocturnal 

 Accipitres, which are only one-third of the number of the Diurnal 

 Birds of Prey, may be conveniently arranged in the gallery of Room 

 E. "This room," he adds, "I consider to be excellently lighted, 

 and generally well adapted for the exhibition of the great Gurney 

 collection." 



Accommodation will also be afforded in the adjoining Curator's 

 room for the Bird skins and duplicates preserved for study purposes, 

 and for the Taxidermist. The connecting corridors to the north and 

 south are to be devoted to birds'-nests and eggs, and to special 

 groups, as, for instance, the fine series of examples of the now extinct 

 Norfolk Bustard {Otis tarda), once a denizen of West Norfolk, Wilts, 

 Dorset, and Yorkshire. Room F, it is suggested, should be devoted 

 to as complete an exhibition as possible of the Norfolk fauna 

 generally, and probably a cabinet for the flora also. 



This sketch of the general arrangement of the Museum collections 

 is of course only tentative, and has been partly pointed out to the writer 

 by Mr. James Reeve, the curator of the Norfolk and Norwich 

 Museimi, and in part gleaned from Dr. Sclater's valuable report 

 already referred to. Much must, of course, remain to be fully con- 

 sidered and worked out in detail when the actual time for the removal 

 of the collections arrives ; but the Committee will have to very 

 speedily decide as to the exact appropriation of the galleries, because 

 the making of the cases must be put in hand, both for walls and floor 

 spaces; and although the table cases can be afterwards shifted about 

 and transferred to suit change of plan, the wall cases, being fixtures, 

 must be designed for the several rooms, and with suitable regard to 

 the size and nature of the objects to be exhibited therein. The 

 greatest praise is due to Mr. E. Boardman, the City Architect, for 

 having initiated the idea of converting the series of prison-blocks into 

 Museum Galleries, whereby hundreds of pounds have been saved, 

 and dry, well-seasoned, and strong walls secured for the galleries, 

 which are certainly not liable to crack and settle, as has frequently 

 happened in many modern buildings. Admirable Avork-rooms and 

 studies are also provided, and, between the blocks and the outer enclos- 

 ing wall, ample unoccupied space remains for any number of additional 

 private rooms to be constructed at a small cost. The inner area of the 

 courtyard is being laid out as a very pleasant garden, where, instead of 

 the " Gallows-tree," sweet flowers and shrubs may grow, sheltered 



