200 Geology. 



2. A CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OP THE PRINCIPAL ACCESSIONS 

 TO THE COLLECTION OP FOSSILS IN THE DEPARTMENT OP 

 GEOLOGY TO THE END OP 1900. 



The following list of acquisitions, arranged in chronological 

 order, includes only those collections and noteworthy specimens 

 which have proved of special importance in the progress of 

 Palaeontology or are associated with its history. The records of 

 the early years are unfortunately very incomplete. Under each 

 of the later years, important general collections (if any) are 

 mentioned first, while the other acquisitions are recorded approxi- 

 mately in zoological order, beginning with the Mammalia. 



1753. 



The collection of fossils was begun by that contained in the 

 Museum of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart., which in this year was 

 purchased for the nation and formed the foundation of the 

 British Museum. 



1759. 



On January 15th, the collections having been removed to 

 Montague House, the Museum was opened for study and public 

 inspection. 



1763. 



A piece of silicified wood from Antigua was presented by 

 Mr. Andrew Lessly. Tertiary shells from Sicily were presented 

 by Mr. Thomas Hollis of Corscombe, Dorset. 



1766. 



The series of Eocene shells and other remains from the 

 Hampshire cliffs, collected and presented to the Museum by 

 Gustavus Brander, F.R.S., was completed this year, and described 

 in a special work by Dr. Solander ("Fossilia Hantoniensia, &c.," 

 1776). 



1767. 



Some remains of Mastodon americanus, from the banks of the 

 river Ohio, U.S.A., and a molar tooth of Mastodon humboldti, 



