The Collection in 1856. 7 



prepared a list of Crustaceans and another of the British species, 1856-1861. 

 but both of them were compiled from other works rather than 

 based upon the collection in the British Museum. 



8. Arachnida, Myriopoda, Xiphosura. Large conspicuous forms 

 like the King-Crabs, Mygales, lai'ge Scorpions, and large Myriopods 

 were named and exhibited in the galleries, but very little attention 

 had been paid to the arrangement of the remainder, which were 

 kept dried in a cabinet in the Insect Room. Such as were 

 preserved in spirit were mixed up with unnamed insects in one 

 of the store-rooms. No systematic attempt was made at reducing 

 them to order or at forming a satisfactory collection, with the 

 exception of the Myriopods ; for these Dr. Gray had secured 

 the assistance of G. Newport, who in 1844 prepared a preliminary 

 list, afterwards (1856) enlarged into a descriptive catalogue. 

 Unfortunately the death of the author interrupted the progress 

 of the work, which thus remained limited to the Chilopoda. 



9. Practically the whole of the entomological collection was 

 reserved for study. It was kept in a large room the Insect 

 Room a well-lighted apartment fifty feet by thirty feet, in 

 which the cabinets were arranged along the walls or in rows 

 intersecting the body of the room, so as to divide it into several 

 partitions. This was also the principal work-room of the Depart- 

 ment, in which not only the men directly engaged upon the 

 entomological collections were placed, but also other Assistants 

 and any A'isitors or students requiring assistance from some 

 member of the staff. In the annual returns to Parliament on 

 the progress of the collections Dr. Gray's reports were not 

 detailed enough to allow an estimate to be given of the actual 

 extent of the collection of Insects at this period, but it had 

 attained sufficient proportions to fill this large room ; the twenty- 

 drawer cabinets, of which eight or ten were supplied each year, 

 being piled on the top of the old ones almost to the ceiling. 

 While as regards completeness or arrangement it was probably 

 excelled in every branch by other foreign or private collections, 

 it was evident that it had outgrown the working power of the 

 two entomological Assistants. A glance through the pages on 

 which subsequently some of the principal additions incorporated 

 in this collection are mentioned will show its immense intrinsic 

 value, which grew from year to year. Although the Keeper, Dr. 

 Gray, made every effort within his means to have the specimens 

 named, arranged, and catalogued, the annual accessions necessi- 

 tated constant rearrangement, and arrears already began to 

 accumulate. Yet by the combined work of the entomological 



