20 ON MUSEUMS, &c. 



or they would not be deposited here, no one can fail to regard with 

 increased curiosity the so-called shooting stars to be seen every night in 

 the heavens, but especially the November and August showers ; and 

 no one can fail to feel in an intensified degree thankful that disaster to 

 cities and men from the impact of such masses on the Earth is so rare- 



In the north gallery of the Museum are between two and three 

 hundred specimens of meteorites, classed as aerolites, siderolites and 

 aerosiderites. The first are meteorites, containing from the most part 

 various silicates, interspersed with isolated particles of nickeliferous 

 native iron and meteoric pyrites. The second are meteorites, consisting 

 of nickeliferous native iron in a more or less continuous or sponge-like 

 state, cavities in which are charged with silicates. The third are masses 

 of native iron, generally nickeliferous, and containing phosphides of 

 nickel and iron, carbon and other substances. One found in Yorkshire 

 weighs 451bs. 8oz.; one found in Tennesee weighs 601bs.; one found 

 in Oldenburg, in Germany, weighs 771bs.; one found at Parnallee, in 

 India, weighs I341bs. ; one found at Tolucca, in Mexico, weighs 1731bs. 

 9oz.; one found at Tucuman, in the Argentine Republic, South America, 

 weighs l,4001bs. ; finally, one found at Cranbourne, Australia, weights 

 8,2001bs. — The so-called Blacas collection, purchased by the British 

 Government in 1866, for the sum of £43,000, consisting of antique 

 gems, cameos, coins, Roman plate, bronzes, painted vases, frescoes, and 

 defensive armour, may also here be examined. It has its name from 

 the Royalist French Dukes of Blacas. The number of engraved gems, 

 cameos and intaglios which it contains is about 800. It has also some 

 fine specimens of ancient phalerse or horse-ornaments — large silver 

 plaques, with crescents appended. 



Other scientific collections in London are the Museum of Economic 

 Geology ; the Royal Society Museum ; the Museum of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons; the Soane Museum; the India House Museum; 

 the Linnaean Society Museum; the Horticultural Society Gardens; 

 the South Kensington Museum ; the Botanic Garden at Kew, where 

 there is a grand palace of glass, 360 by 90, filled with palms. Here 

 also is to be seen the gigantic lily, named the Victoria Regia. The 

 wonderful Crystal Palace at Sydenham, with its surrounding domain 

 can be put to scientific use in many ways by those who pay their visit 

 with that intention. Some life-size models of the animals of the 

 palseontological class, seen in the open air in their proper habitat, in 

 the act of crawling up the green bank of a breezy lake give a vivid im- 



