ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 35 



Departments of Natukal History. 



In the course of the year 1882 an addition of 55,007 specimens has been made to the 

 Natural History, of which 19,902 have been received in the Department of Zoology, 

 23,887 in that of Geolosy, 488 in that of Mineralogy, and 10,730 in that of Botany. 



Also, in relation to additions now made available for study, may be specified 4,500 

 specimens transferred in 1879 from the India Museum, and incorporated in the present 

 year with the arranged collection of minerals. 



The specimens in the several Departments are in a good state of preservation. 



In the stage of transfer to and arrangements in the British Museum of Natural History, 

 Cromwell-road, it may be convenient to specify the parts of the Building appropriated to 

 the public display of the specimens, which experience of those displays proves to be 

 suitable, and will probably be permanent. The central portion of the building includes 

 the Southern or Entry Hall and the Northern Hall. The wings extend to east and west. 

 In each wing are three stories, of which the Galleries of the first and second terminate in a 

 pavilion or saloon ; the corresponding portion of the third or highest Gallery in both 

 wings is appropriated to Museum work. 



To the entry hall open twelve bays, six on each side ; these it has been proposed to 

 appropriate to type-specimens, of as many divisions of the objects of Natural History, 

 according to the example of the bay. No. IV., appropriated to the class of Birds. On the 

 floor of the hall is placed the skeleton of a Whale as an example of the bulk attained of 

 an existing kind of animal. 



In the Northei'n Hall will be arranged and exhibited the specimens of British 

 Zoology. 



In the east wing, the first or ground Gallery is devoted to evidences of the extinct 

 kinds of Mammals and Birds, the second Gallery is appropriated to the Minerals, and in 

 the pavilion are shown the M eteorites, or those Minerals which have reached the earth 

 from cosmic space. 



In the third Gallery are arranged the exhibited specimens of the "Botany." 



To the north of and parallel with the first Gallery, extends a narrower one appropriated 

 to the fossil remains of the Reptilian class. From this there extend, at right angles, six 

 single-storied Galleries, for the fossil Fishes and for the several Invertebrate classes of 

 extinct animals. 



T he west wing of the building will be devoted to the existing kinds of animals. Six 

 single-storied Galleries extend to the north from the first Gallery, with some intervening 

 compartments. 



Of the three main Galleries and pavilions the third, devoted to recent Osteology, has 

 received most of the mammalian and avian specimens. 



A detached building will receive the specimens preserved in alcohol. 



With reference to the " Recommendation " of the " Royal Commission on Scientific 

 Instruction and the Advancement of Science," in their " Report/' issued in 1872, viz., 

 " that the Natural History specimens, unstuffed or unarticulated, for the use of students 

 and men of science, should be arranged in juxtaposed parallel series with the stuffed and 

 articulated specimens arranged for public exhibition," the result of a trial of such 

 recommended method is given in the " Report " from the Department of Zoology. The 

 arrangement of the Osteological specimens and Horns in the Third Western Gallery has 

 nearly reached its completion; and the work of articulation of the skeletons destined to 

 occupy the floor of that Gallery will be continued uninterruptedly in the coming year. 



The collections of the recent MoUusca, and portions of those of the Radiuta, have been 

 safely transferred to the one-storied Galleries of the west wing, destined for their reception 

 and display ; the unpacking and arrangement therein will be uninterrupted during the 

 coming year. 



The large and instructive additions to the radiary groups of Echinoderms, of the 

 Polyzoan and Caelenterate Polypes, of the Sponges and the Protozoa, are noted in the 

 " Report " of the " Zoology." 



The two-fold benefit of relieving the National Natural History Collections of un- 

 necessary duplicates, and of the transfer of such specimens to Local Collections requiring 

 them, has been kept in view and largely acted upon during the labours relating to transfer 

 in the present year. But these demands on the time of the Zoological Staff" have not 

 interfered with the preparation for exhibition in the New Museum of recently received 

 rare and attractive specimens, which have been mounted for that purpose, as specified in 

 the " Report " from the Department. 



The " Recommendation " of the Royal Commission on Science, above referred to, as to 

 the limitation of the number of exhibited specimens to " Types," not having been found 

 practicable, either in regard to the " General Collections " or to the " British Collection " 

 of objects of Natui-al History, the proportion of the specimens, about one-halt' of the 

 first category, now transferred to the present Museum, and the extent to which they 

 have been systematically arranged therein during the present year (1882), permit a 

 reliable judgment to be formed of the relations of space in the building to the total 

 numbers of the specimens of Natural History now acquired and shortly to be therein 

 exhibited. 



0.63. E 2 But 



