M3 



TO THE HEADER. 



THIS work is designed to answer the twofold purpose* 

 of a Hand-book for the general visitors to the GALLERY 

 OF ORGANIC REMAINS OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM, and 

 an Explanatory Catalogue for the scientific observer. 



With this view the specimens in each Room are 

 described in a separate chapter, and a ground-plan of 

 the Cases, and a Synopsis of their contents, are given in 

 the first part or section of each division, to serve as 

 a guide-book for those whose time is limited, and are 

 desirious of obtaining a general idea of the collection. 



The palaeontologist will, it is hoped, find all the infor- 

 mation in these unpretending pages that can reasonably 

 be expected within the prescribed limits of a work of 

 this nature, which is divested as much as possible of 

 technical language to render it acceptable to the unsci- 

 entific reader, and intended to direct attention to the most 

 important specimens, and invest them with an interest 

 they would not otherwise present to persons unacquainted 

 with this branch of natural knowledge. 



