THE FISH GALLERY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Fish Gallery is on the main floor of the Museum, in the 

 western portion. Visitors entering the Museum can reach the 

 Fish Gallery by turning sharply to the left into the Bird Gallery, 

 and taking the first turning to the right ; or by passing through 

 the Entrance Hall along the left side, and, on reaching the archway 

 at the left side of the main staircase, turning to the left through a 

 small doorway. 



The specimens exhibited in the Fish Gallery consist mainly of Exhibited 

 stuffed specimens, coloured as far as possible to resemble the fishes s P ecimens ' 

 in their natural conditions ; there are also some casts and models 

 of fishes, the skins of which are not suitable for exhibition, either 

 because of their damaged or distorted condition, or because of 

 their small size, or because the skin is so thin that it cannot be 

 stuffed, or because the fishes are extinct, and only fossil fragments 

 remain to indicate to us what they must have looked like. 



Only a small proportion of the Fishes in the Museum are Specimens 

 exhibited in the Fish Gallery ; the greater number are preserved oI°l 

 in alcohol and, as a precaution against fire, are stored in a detached 

 building at the back of the Museum. These specimens are mostly 

 un suited for exhibition, and are not accessible to the general 

 public ; they are, however, available for scientific purposes by 

 ichthyologists under certain conditions, which can be ascertained 

 by making application in writing to the Museum. A large 



