Introduction. xiii 



A further and most important change in the constitution of 

 the Department was introduced in 1837 by the formation of two 

 other Branches, the " Mineralogical and Geological Branch," 

 under the Keepership of C. Konig, and the " Zoological Branch," 

 or which J. G. Children was promoted to be Keeper. 



Konig was succeeded in 1851 by G. R. Waterhouse, and 

 Children in 1840 by J. E. Gray. 



The administration of the Department was greatly changed 

 in 1856, by the appointment of Professor (afterwards Sir 

 Richard) Owen as "Superintendent," and the conversion of the 

 " Branches " into " Departments." The single " Natural History 

 Department " thus became three distinct Departments, viz. : 

 1 , Botanical ; 2, Zoological ; 3, Mineralogical and Geological. 



In 1857 the "Mineralogical and Geological Department" 

 was divided into the " Geological Department," under the former 

 Keeper, G. R. Waterhouse, and the " Mineralogical Depart- 

 ment," to which Prof. Story-Maskelyne was appointed as Keeper. 



Subsequent changes were mainly in the personnel of the 

 staff, and were as follows : 



On the retirement of Sir Richard Owen in 1884, he was 

 succeeded by Prof, (afterwards Sir William) Flower, with the 

 title of Director, and in 1898, on the retirement of the latter, by 

 the present Director. 



The succeeding Keepers have been : 



Botanical Department : J. J. Bennett (1859), W. Carruthers. 

 (1871), and G. R. M. Murray (1895). 



Geological Department: H. Woodward (1880), and A. S. 

 Woodward (1901). 



Mineralogical Department : L. Fletcher (1880). 



Zoological Department : A. Gunther (1875). Since 1895, 

 the Director for the time being has been the Acting-Keeper of 

 Zoology. 



