10 GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



The cases in the centre are devoted to specimens of alluvial 

 gold, auriferous quartz, and other gold-bearing rocks ; the largest 

 contains gold, models of nuggets, and precious stones. In the 

 gallery is a series illustrating the geology of the earth, arranged 

 in the order of the strata, and showing forms of life which 

 existed in former ages. 



Leaving tlie Geological Hall and returning towards the grand 

 staircase the wall cases on the left hand contain a general collec- 

 tion of mounted fislies, and in the corner beside the stf^ircase are 

 cases containing the PaL-eichthyan Fishes, or Sharks, Rays, and 

 Ganoid.s, which latter are the last survivors of the oldest created 

 vertebrate animals ; among them is the curious mud fish of 

 Queensland (Ceratodus forsteri). Other fishes will be found 

 exhibited in cases on the Upper Floor temporarily arranged. 



We have now returned to our starting point and, passing to the 

 southwards, will visit the Osteological Halls. Here are exhibited 

 Skeletons, both recent and fossil. Beginning at the left hand is 

 a series of six aboriginal human skeletons. Beside them are the 

 skeletons of a Gorilla, a Chimpanzee, and other monkeys Ranged 

 on the wall behind the skeletons is a series of skulls, and among 

 them is one disarticulated — that is with the bones separated and 

 named for the use of students. Further on in the same case is 

 a collection of casts of heads and faces, from life, of South Sea 

 Islanders prepared by Dr. Otto Finsch of Bremen , for par- 

 ticulars of which see chapter XVI., Anthropology and Ethnology. 



Continuing along the same row of cases, and passing the pillars 

 into the next room, we come to skeletons of the Carnivorous 

 Mammalia, — Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Dogs, ikc. Past the door lead- 

 ing to the Etlniological Hall and along the end wall are skeletons 

 of the Bear, Pig, Horse, Zebra, Deer, and other orders of Mam- 

 malia which for want of space cannot be arranged in their natural 

 sequence. The case at the side wall opposite the door contains 

 skeletons of Kangaroos, Wombats and other typical Australian 

 animals, including \\'hales and Seals, also a skeleton, with the 

 different bones named, of the gigantic Cod-perch of our eastern 

 coast ; at the corner beside the pillar are bones of the Moas, 

 large extinct birds of New Zealand, with skeletons of an Ostrich 

 and an Emu beside them for comparison ; and in the desk case 



