338 



up in the manner suggested by the Museum Committee of last year, 

 with the effect, that though the number of specimens has been ma- 

 terially increased, they do not occupy a greater number of drawers 

 than previously, space being at the same time left for future addi- 

 tions. The specimens have all been fixed on wood, covered with 

 white instead of black paper as formerly, which admits of the name 

 being directly written on the paper, and dispenses with the use of 

 labels. Their appearance is neat, and well adapted for consultation 

 and study. The Committee have noticed with much satisfaction that 

 the selection of the specimens, as well as their order and position, has 

 been studiously made with a view to show the mutual relations of allied 

 species, to illustrate varieties of the same species, and to exhibit in- 

 ternal structure. To render the collection more effective in these re- 

 spects, it is desirable that donors should not consider duplicates un- 

 necessary, since two shells, apparently identical, often, on close ex- 

 amination, present slight varieties which more fully display the cha- 

 racters of the species. 



The Committee beg to observe that the fossils of the Crag are very 

 defective. 



The principal donors to this portion of the Museum have been 

 Dr. Fitton, Miss Benett, Viscount Cole, and Sir P. Grey Egerton. 



The specimens in the collections below the Gault remain in the 

 same state as at the last report 5 but the valuable series presented by 

 Dr. Fitton will render the Wealden and Portland formations nearly 

 complete. The specimens are in preparation, and will in a short time 

 be introduced into their proper cabinets. 



The fossil fishes have been named by M. Agassiz ; but the collec- 

 tions are very far from being complete, particularly those from the lias 

 of Dorsetshire. 



Coal-Measures and Inferior Strata. — The Society has received two 

 small collections of fossils from Mr. De la Beche, presented in the 

 name of the Ordnance Geological Survey. The Committee look with 

 pleasure to this donation from a branch of the public service, from 

 which great additions to the department of organic remains may be 

 anticipated. 



Fossil fishes from the Coal-measures at Wardie and from other lo- 

 calities have been presented by Lord Greenock, F.G.S. 



The Society is indebted to Mr. Murchison for a suite of fossils from 

 the Silurian System of Rocks ; and to the Earl of Cawdor for fossils 

 from the lower limestone shale and upper Silurian beds of Pembroke- 

 shire. 



The principal donations of foreign specimens, are fossils from the 

 Virgin Islands, collected by M. Schombergfor the Royal Geographical 

 Society, and presented by that Society ; and the collections made in 

 India by Mr. Royle, and presented by himself. 



The Committee have the satisfaction to observe, in noticing the 

 fossils presented through M. Schomberg, that donations have been re- 

 peatedly presented by the Royal Geographical Society of specimens 

 collected by their agents. 



The Committee cannot close their Report on the Museum without 



