^~2 ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



A leaden medal of Queea Aune. From Edward Hawkins, Esq. 



Two deu'u rs of the Abbey of St. Martial, at Limoges ; and a bracteate ofZiuich. From 

 R. T. Brassey, Esq. 



A copper token of Chailes Miiller, wlio gained the gold scuij)ture medal of the French 

 Academy, for his group called " 1'he Minstrel Curse=" From James Falconer, Esq. 



Tuo scarce coins in billon, of the Canton Vallais, struck in 1628. From M. Blanchet, of 

 Lausanne. 



A copper medal of the BaUle of Navarino ; of Francis IL of France; of M. Bouvet, a 

 French engraver; a satirical medal in lead of William IIL of England; a silver medal of 

 Willi im of Nassau, a.d. 1734; two white metal casts, one of a medal of the taking of 

 Namur and Brussels, the other of the taking of Huy ; a farthing of Edward III., and of 

 Edward VI. ; a 25 zlot piece of Alexander I. as King of Poland, 1818; and seven English 

 copper tokens. From A. W. Franks, Esq. 



A bronze medal of Jo. Bapt. Vico. From G. T. Newton, Esq. 



A Gop :ei- Australian token. From W. H. Cose, Esq. 



The following specimens may be noticed as among the more valuable additions to the 

 Cabinets of ihe Briiish Museum, during the year 1865 : — 



An unique silver coin of Populonia in Etruria. 



An ircijaic tetradrachm of the Island of Cos. 



An unique telradrachm of Philistis, Queen of Syracuse. 



A very rare coin of Simon Nasi II., Prince of Isr-ael. 



A coin of Ctiildebert, struck at Marseilles. 



Several very fine and rare uiedaUions of Commodus, Lucilla, Sept. Severus, Gordianus 

 Pius, 'rrel)on;anus Callus, and Probus. 



A rare coin of Magnus Maximus, with the letters AVGOB (Augusta 72), struck at 

 London. 



A gold coin of Gallienus. 



A rare sterling of Otho IV, Emperor of Germany, a.d. 1208-12. 



Two rare sterlings of the Emperor Frederic II. (a.d. 12I2--50). 



A Jeton of Sir Robert Pye. 



A very fine collection of Italian and German Cinque-cento medals. 



A remarkable Sax ai silver coin of Beorthric. 



1856 persons have visited the Medal Room during the past year. 



W. S. W. Vaax. 



Departments of Natural History 



The principal business of the departments has been the re-arrangement of exhibited 

 specimens for incorporation of additional ones selected i'rom those, 30,402 in number, 

 acquired during the year 1865. 



The substitution of better preserved, or more instructive specimens, selected from those 

 previously in store, for inferior exemplifications of species in the public galleries. 



The transfer of specimens from those in store, in the basement, for arrangement in 

 drawers beneath the table-cases. 



Verifying, correcting, or improving the nomenclature and synonyms of the species. 

 Labellinu the specimens accordingly, and arranging them in the reserve drawers. 



Locating or storing the bulk of the additions under available conditions best calculated to 

 ensure their preservation in a state of fitness for exhibition and scientific applications when 

 the required space may be obtained. 



Of the class Mammalia the stuffed specimens have been kept in a stale of preserva- 

 tion, without other deterioration than is mevitable in regard to the proportion of the 

 exhibited specimens for which tnere is not accommodation in the glazed cases. 



The unstuffed skins in store are in a good state of preservation, subserving the purposes 

 of scientific examination and comparison; and all such as are suitable for selection for 

 future exhibition are in a state fit for being prepared and mounted accordingly. 



The proportion of the collection of the skins and skeletons of the class of Birds, mounted 

 and systematically arranged, is in a good state of preservation ; most of the cabinets in the 

 public gallery are now filled to the utmost of their exhibition space. 



The collection of Bird skins, unmounted, stored in boxes and cupboards in the basement 

 vaults, are in a state of preservation, available for the purposes of study and comparison of 

 characters. 



The proportion of the collection of Reptiles and Fishes preserved and displayed in the 

 public galleries is in a aood state of preservation and arrangement. The greater proportion 

 of the specimens of both these classes is stored in tiie basement, in a space so crowded as to 

 te obstructive to their scientific study and comparison. Such stored specimens are pre- 

 served in alcohol, which experience shows to be the best medium; and they are in a good 

 state of preservation. 



In the Invenebrate classes, the specimens of molluscous animals in the t-hell, and those 

 of the shell-less orders and families, arepieserved in spirits, and, for the most part, stored iu 

 the basement vaults^ on shelves, now so crowded that access to any not in the first row is 



difficulty 



