INTRODUCTION. 9 



In Room II. commences the Fossil Fauna; but the assem- 

 blage of relics of various classes and orders, provisionally 

 deposited in the cases, forbids a general description. The 

 unique and highly interesting collection of the Fossil Remains 

 of Birds from New Zealand, is the most important feature of 

 this apartment. 



Rooms III. and IV. are chiefly appropriated to the Fossil 

 Reptiles. This is indeed a noble collection, unrivalled for its 

 extent and importance: most of the specimens are from 

 various parts of England, and many of them are unique. 



The collection of Fossil Fishes constitutes the grand fea- 

 ture of Room V. It is very extensive, and is admirably 

 arranged and named, according to the nomenclature of M. 

 Agassiz. A fine skeleton of the extinct gigantic Elk of 

 Ireland forms a conspicuous object in the centre of this 

 room. 



Room VI. The coup d'ceil of this part of the Gallery, 

 which is chiefly devoted to Fossil Mammalia, is very im- 

 posing. Immediately opposite the entrance is the model of 

 the skeleton of the Megatherium, or colossal Sloth of South 

 America, from Buenos Ayres ; and beyond it, the skeleton of 

 the Mastodon of the Ohio, from North America ; between them 

 is placed a most extraordinary specimen, the skull and tusks, 

 (fourteen feet long,) of the Elephas Gfanesa, from India. 



In the wall-cases is an unrivalled series of the crania and 

 jaws and teeth of Mastodons and Elephants of numerous 

 species, in a marvellous state of preservation. They have been 

 cleared from the very compact incrustation which originally 

 surrounded them, with great skill and labour by Mr. Dew. 

 The greater number are from the Sewalik or Sub-Himalayan 

 Mountains of India, and were collected by Major Cautley 

 and Dr. Falconer. Some very fine specimens of the Mas- 

 todon Ohioticus are from Big-bone Lick, in Kentucky, United 

 States of North America. 



This room also contains many choice examples of the 

 crania, teeth, and bones of the Megatherium, Dinotherium, 

 Sivatherium, and other extinct genera of Mammalia; and 

 the celebrated Fossil Human Skeleton in limestone, from 

 Guadaloupe. 



With these cursory observations, I would introduce the 

 reader to Room I., requesting him to notice on the lobby, to 



