ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 21 



designed to indicate the extent of space which will be needed for the ulterior exhibition of 

 the illustrations of the important and valuable class of fishes. 



One of the most remarkable of fossil specimens recently discovered, Archceopteryx 

 macrurus, Owen, has been secured, together with numerous other rare and unusually perfect 

 fossils for the Department of Geology. These specimens are from the quarries of litho- 

 graphic limestone at Solenhofen and Pappenheim, Bavaria. The Archaiopteryx, besides 

 the principal bones of the limbs and of part of the vertebral ■column, and furculum, exhibits 

 impressions of feathers, including "primaries " and " under-coverts " of both wings, and 

 the " rectrices '" and quill-feathers of the tail. By the latter, the fossil bird chiefly differs 

 from living birds ; its tail, consisting of 20 vertebrae, is longer than the trunk, and a pair of 

 feathers diverge from eacli of the vertebrae. The matrix of the Archwopteryx belongs to the 

 upper Oolitic period, and is the most ancient in which fossil remains of a bird have, hitherto 

 been discovered. The class, however, is indicated by foot-prints in older secondary 

 formations. 



Rare nnd acceptable additions have accrued to all the Departments of Natural History 

 through the International Exhibition of 1862. 



The Geological and Mineralogical Departments have been enriched by a higlily instructive 

 and valuable collection of specimens, plans nnd maps, graciously presented by Her Majesty 

 at whose disposal they had been placed by the Imperial Austrian Government. They 

 formed part of the series in the Austrian Department of the Iniernaticnal Exhibition. 



Amongst these specimens may be f)articularised an extensive series of characteristic 

 examples of coal, lignite, and allied forms of petrified and carbonised vegetable matters 

 from the several carboniferous strata in the Austrian dominions. Such a series will form an 

 important element in a Geological Department, properly so called, should such department 

 be hereafter associated with the collections of Fossil Remains (Palaeontology) in the Natural 

 History Departments of the British Museum. 



The space which these specimens of the coal of a single continental country occupied 

 in the Austrian Department of the International Exhibition — specimens illustrative of a 

 Geological subject replete with interest in its economical relations to a nianufacturino- and 

 commercial country — exemplifies the data and considerations on which exhibition space was 

 estimated in the Superintendent's Report of 16th March 1859, for the combined Geoloo^ical 

 and Paleeontological Departments of the National Museum of Natural History. The instruc- 

 tive series of Crystals accompanying the above donation of Geological specimens, is noticed 

 in the Report from the Department of Mineralogy. 



From the Spanish Department of the International Exhibition have been received, by 

 donation from the Commissioners, specimens ot marbles from Cordova, of Anolesite from 

 Toledo, and of Meerschaum from Vallicas. 



From the Canadian Department the Mineralogy has received, by donation from Pro- 

 fessor Sierry Hunt, a series of characteristic specimens from that province. 



From the Australian Department the Zoology has received a series of dried and stuffed 

 Fishes, mostly of large size, including the Hisiiopterus, with some rare sharks. 



The number of additional specimens to the Natural History, durino- the vear 1862 

 is 28,273, of which 13,129 are registered in the depariment of Zoology, 3,144 in "the depart- 

 ment of Geology, and 1,200 in the department of Mineralogy. 



Richard Owen. 



Department of Zoology. 



During the year 1862, 13,129 specimens of Animals of the several classes have been 

 added to the different parts of the Zoological Collection ; namely — 



Vertebrated Animals --_-__ 3,342 

 Molluscous and Radiated Animals - - _ - 2,127 

 Annulose Animals -----__ 7,660 



Total - - - 13,129 



Many of these have been presented ; having been selected as the specimens most desirable 

 for the Museum from collections offered as donations by various persons. 



A large numb.'r of the specimens purchased, have been selected from the collections 

 offered for sale, because they were such as had been described in published works or papers, 

 and were therefore the authentic examples or types on which the determination of the 

 species or observations thereon have been founded. Others have been purchased because 

 thev illustrate the Zoology of some particular region of the earth's surface, or tend to eluci- 

 date the scientific classification ; or again, because they are most interesting to the scientific 

 student, as lending to afford information on certain questions as to the origin of species, or 

 the gradual development of organised beings, which are agitating the minds of scientific 

 men, or engaging the attention of general visitors at the present time. 



A cousidoiable portion of the specimens consists of the types or individual specimens 

 which have been described in various scientific works and periodicals, and students in after 



0.3. C 3 times 



