38 



BIRD GALLERY. 



African 

 Antelopes. 



Giraffes 

 and Okapi. 



Gonld 



Collection of 

 Hnniming- 

 Birds. 



The west, south, and east corridors contain a portion of the 

 collection of mounted Mammals for which there is not room in 

 the gallery immediately adjoining. The specimens placed here 

 include a large number of species of the finest African Antelopes, 

 animals remarkable for their beauty, for their former countless 

 numbers, and for their threatened extermination in consequence 

 of the inroads of civilized man into their domain. 



In a case at the head of the staircase leading to the east 

 corridor are three mounted specimens of Giraffes, and near by 

 a skeleton of the same. Alongside of the former is placed 

 a case containing the heads and necks together with skulls of 

 other Giraffes ; while in a third are displayed specimens of 

 their near ally the Okapi (fig. 13) of the Congo Forest. 



The collection of Humming-Birds (TrocMlidcB) arranged and 

 mounted by the late Mr. John Gould, and purchased for the 

 Museum after his death in 1881, is disposed partly in the 

 east corridor and partly on the pillars of the staircase. The 

 resplendent colours and singular varieties of form presented by 

 these fairy-like objects can scarcely fail to excite admiration. 



WEST WING. 



The whole of the west wing of the building is devoted to the 

 collections of recent Zoology. 



(A) Ground Floor. 



Bird GaUery. The ground floor is entered from the west side (left hand) ot 

 the central hall, near the main entrance of the building. The 

 long gallery, extending the entire length of the front of the wing 

 as far as the west pavilion, is assigned to the exhibited collection 

 of Birds, the study-series of the same group being kept in 

 cabinets in a room behind. 



