652 KEPORT — 1881. 



Almost ray first work was to ascertain the extent of my charges, and I confess 

 that I was unprepared to find that the galleries assigned for the arrangement and 

 public exhibition of the several natural history series in the British Museum were 

 so inadequate to these ends as to necessitate the storage of many unexhibited, and 

 in great proportion rare and valuable specimens. This condition afiected principally 

 the collection of fossil remains, but in not much less degree that of the recent 

 natural history. 



One of my colleagues, Mr. Charles Konig, then Keeper of the Department of 

 Mineralog}', and most eminent in that science, applied the gallery assigned thereto 

 principally to the rare and beautiful specimens of his favourite subject. When the 

 newer science of palfeontology entered upon its rapid growth, and, on the demise 

 of Mr. Konig, led to the formation of a distinct Department of Geology, the pro- 

 portion of the British Museum set apart for natural history would not aiford for the 

 exhibition of the fossils and rock specimens more or other space than might be 

 gained from or intercalated among the mineral cabinets in one and the same gallery, 

 viz. that which had been originally assigned to Mr. Kiinig. 



The store-vaults in the basement of the Museum became accordingly invaded 

 by the rapidity-accumulating unexhibited geological specimens, as those receptacles 

 bad been, and continued to be, needed for the storage of such specimens, and 

 especially the osteological ones, of the Department of Zoology. 



In 18o4, Dr. .John Ed. Gray, Keeper of the Zoology, reported on the unfitness of 

 the locality of his stored specimens, and prayed for additional accommodation for 

 them.* But, on the report of the architect, to whom such appeal was referred, the 

 Trustees 'declined to adopt Dr. Gray's suggestion,' and recommended 'that steps 

 should be taken to obviate the deterioration of the specimens complained of by Dr. 

 Gray in consequence of the damp condition of tlio vaults in which they are con- 

 tained.' ^ To renewed appeals by the experienced Keeper, and agreeably with his 

 ideas on the nature and extent of the required additional space for the Zoology, the 

 Trustees recommended : — ' An additional gallery to the Eastern Zoological Gallerj^ 

 and the substitution of skylights for the side windows,' with a view to an additional 

 gallery at an elevation above the floor of the one in use ; they also resolved : — 

 ' That accommodation be provided for the officers of the Natural History Depart- 

 ments on the roof of the Print-room.' ^ 



But the inadequacy for exhibition-purposes of additional space which might be 

 gained by the new gallery, or by the accessory wall-gallery attainable by stairs in 

 the one in use,'' was so impressed on my convictions, that I determined, in 1857, to 

 submit to the Trustees a statement embodying estimates of space required for 

 exhibition of all and several the Departments of natural history, with the grounds 

 of such estimates, including considerations based upon the ratio of increase during 

 the ten years preceding my appointment, and the conditions likely to afl'ect the 

 proportions of future annual additions. 



This purpose, which I deemed a duty, I endeavoured to effect in a ' Report, 

 with a Plan,' submitted on February 10, 1859, which Ileport, being forwarded by 

 the Trustees to the Treasury, and being deemed worthy of consideration by Par- 

 liament, was 'Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, March 11, 13.59,' 

 and can still be obtained at the Office of Parliamentary Papers.^ 



The Report included, as I have stated, estimates of space for the then acquired 

 specimens of the several departments of natural history, together with space for 

 the reception of the additional specimens which might accrue in the course of a 



' See Parliamentary Paper or Blue P.ook, folio 18.58, entitled: — 'Copies of all 

 Communications made by the Officers and Architect of the liritish Museum to the 

 Trustees, respecting the want of space for exiiibiting the Collections in that Insti- 

 tution,' p. 4. 



= Ibid. p. 5. s Ibid. "pp. 2i5, 28. 



•* In his report of December 29, 185G, Dr. Gray states: — 'Scarcely half of the 

 zoological collections is exhibited to the public, and their due di.splay would require 

 more than twice the space devoted to thcrn.' — Ibid. p. 21. To any removal of the 

 natural history to another site Dr. Gray was strongly opposed. 



'^ Parliamentary Papers, ' Report with Plan,' &c. (12f>, i.), fol. 1859. 



