BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY). 87 



Catalogue of Fossi] Cephalopoda, Part III., by Mr. A. H. 

 Foord. 



Catalogue of Mesozoic Plants, by Mr. A. C. Seward. 



Central Hall. 



The case referred to in the last report, as in preparation, 

 has been completed and placed in the Hall. It is a companion 

 to the winter group from Norway, and exhibits the same 

 species of animals (hare, stoat, weasel, willow grouse, and 

 ptarmigan) in their summer dress, showing their adaptation 

 at that season to their natural surroundings. The specimens 

 in both these cases have been presented by Dr. R. Collett, of 

 the Christiania Museum. 



A series of Indian butterflies and moths, illustrating some 

 of the phenomena described as " protective resemblance " and 

 " mimicry," to which so much attention is directed by 

 naturalists at the present day, collected and presented by 

 Colonel Charles Swinhoe, has been mounted for exhibition. 



Among the many additions made during the year to the 

 morphological series arranged in the alcoves round the hall, is 

 a collection of specimens mounted in spirit, showing the 

 general external and anatomical characters of the principal 

 types of moUusca. Many of these were obtained by purchase 

 from the Zoological Station at Naples. 



To the first alcove, devoted to the osteology of the class 

 Mammalia, have been added the skeletons of a man and of a 

 horse, placed in the same case, and arranged for comparison 

 with each other, and also to show the position of the bones of 

 both in relation to the external surface, by a method not 

 hitherto adopted in the exhibition of such specimens. In the 

 case of the horse, the skin of the same animal from which the 

 skeleton was prepared was carefully mounted, and, when dry, 

 divided in the middle line, and one half, lined with black 

 velvet, placed behind the skeleton. In the man the external 

 surface is shown by a papier-mache model, similarly lined and 

 placed in a corresponding position. As all the principal 

 bones of both skeletons have their names attached to them, a 

 careful study of this group aflTords not only an instructive 

 lesson in comparative anatomy, but will also, it is hoped, be 

 of practical utility to the artist. 



0.108. G 2 



