426 



even Avell versed in Natural History to have filled a can with 

 specimens more judiciously selected and more carefully pre- 

 served. 



The collection Avas exceedingly rich in those lower classes 

 of animals which are usually neglected by the ordinary col- 

 lector, and contains probably many specimens which are 

 new to the Cabinets in this country or in Europe. It was 

 nearly if not wholly marine, consisting of such specimens 

 as are found on the coral reefs of Zanzibar. Of these, the 

 fishes were numerous and interesting, and of a size well 

 adapted for exhibition in the Cabinets of the Society, and 

 from the care in their preservation they retained their bril- 

 liant hues, and the delicate portions of the fins, &c., were 

 uninjured. The crustaceans or crabs, were well represent- 

 ed by a number of specimens, many of which presented rare 

 and curious forms. 



A considerable portion of the collection was devoted to 

 the starfishes, whose value can only be truly appreciated by 

 the Naturalist, though their curious forms, and the rich col- 

 oring of many of the species are objects of interest even to 

 the casual observer. Belonging to the same general class 

 as the above, are the echini, sea urchins or sea eggs — and 

 the holothuria or sea cucumbers, to which belong the biclie 

 de mer of commerce ; these were largely represented, and 

 the beautiful state of preservation of the former, with their 

 long and slender spines unbroken, were objects of much ad- 

 miration. 



The value of the collection may be inferred from the fact 

 that not one of the species is found on our own coast, and 

 very few, if any, were previously in our Cabinets. 



The contribution of Dr. H. M. Neisler, adds several 

 new species of reptiles, and is particularly desirable, as giv- 

 ing us a collection of the field mice, and the small quadru- 

 peds of Georgia which is larger than that of similar animals 

 indigenous to our vicinity heretofore in our Cabinets. 



