ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Indies. Wilh the exception of the point of the smaller end which is broken off, the whole 

 surface of this Meteorite is coated with crust; the effect, and indication of the nature, of the 

 forces to wliich it had been subject in its passage to the earth. Another of these valuable 

 donations is a portion of a Meteorite known as the " Shalka sky-stone," of which another 

 portion was sent to Vienna for analysis by the Mineralogists of that capital. 



The total number of additions made to the Departments of Zoology, Geology and 

 Mineralogy, during the past year, is above 45,260. Some of the more remarkable among 

 them are specified in this Report, or in the following Keports of the Keepers of the respec- 

 tive Departments. 



The "rounds on which have been based the several recommendations of the Superin- 

 tendent and Keepers, to acquire these additions, either by purchase or by donation, and 

 which have received the sanction of the Trustees, will he, in all probability, equally urgent 

 and mflnential in regard to future opportunities of acquisition. 



Present knowledge of the manifold works of nature, and present opportunities of acquiring 

 the rarer examples thereof, do not support the expectation that the need of increased space 

 for their public exhibition will become less in a few years ; the vast proportion of the 

 unknown to be known in nature, and the diversity and extent of the unexplored parts of the 

 world, rather impress the belief that future additions will accrue to the iNatural History 

 Departments in an equal or increasing ratio for some years to come. 



Richard Owen, 

 Superintendent of the Natural History Departments. 



Zoological Department. 



The Collections of the preserved Skins of Vertebrated Animals, and of the hard external 

 Skeletons and Shells of Invertebiated Animals, exhibited in the public rooms, have been 

 cleaned, and many orders and families liuve been re-arranged, to insert the specimens recently 

 received, and to keep the exhibited part of the Collection on a level with the recent discoveries 

 in Zoological science. 



The CoIl^cti()n of Skins of Mammalia, Birds, Fish, and Reptiles, which are kept \in- 

 stuffed lor study, as they are in this state more useful for scientific examination and com- 

 parison by the zoologist; and the very extensive Collection of Skeletons of the Vertebrated 

 Animals; and the collection of Specimens of Molluscous, Annulose, and Radiated Animals, 

 pre>erved in spirits, in many thousand bottles, kept in rooms in the basement, and which 

 arc, like the Collection of Skins, available for the use of the scientific students, have all been 

 cleaned, verified, and re-arrauged, and have had their labels restored. 



The general Collections of Annulose Animals, which are kept in cabinets in the Entomo- 

 logical room, under the Print room, and are accessible to the Students and more advanced 

 Entomologists, have had very extensive additions made to them, which have been arranged 

 in their proper places in the several parts of the Collection. Many portions, on which British 

 and other European Entomologists have published works, have been re-arranged to make 

 the Collection conformable to the present state and progress of the science, while other 

 portions have been arranged in new cabinets, to remedy the crowded state of the drawers, 

 caused by the recent additions. 



During the year ending 18G0, •25,222 specimens of different classes of Animals have been 

 added to the several parts of the Zoological Collection; namely: — 



Verlebrated Animals ------- 5,054 



Molhiscous and Kadiated Animals - - _ - 4,251 

 Annulose Animals -_-___. 15,317 



Total - - - _ 25,222 



A considerable portion of tht se specimens consist of the types of species described in various 

 scientific works and periodicals, not nicluding the very large number ot specimens which 

 have been described during the year, by the officers of the establishment, in the Catalogues 

 published by the Trustees, and in various Transactions and Periodicals of Scientific Societies. 

 The specimens, so described, are thus rendered of typical importance. 



The 25,222 specimens added to the Collection, have been each regularly marked and 

 described in the Manuscript Registers of Accessions, with an account of the locality from 

 whence they were derived, and of the manner in which they were acquired, which adds 

 greatly io their value, as giving the history of each. They have all been arranged in their 

 systematic places either in the Collections open to the public, or in those portions of the 

 general collection which are set apart for specific study, and all have been properly labelled 

 bo us to give their special history. 



The 



