50 INSECT GALLERY. 



present. The majority have a cartilaginous skeleton. Among 

 these may be specially mentioned the Bichir of the tropical 

 African rivers, the Gar- Pike of North America, the Sturgeons, 

 the Lung-Fishes (Dipnoi) of South America, Africa, and 

 Australia, the Chimseras, and finally the Sharks and Rays. 

 Among the two latter are included the singular Hammer- 

 headed Shark {Zygcena), and the Saw-Fishes (Pristis), which 

 have a long projecting flattened snout, with a row of teeth 

 arranged something like those of a saw on each side (fig. 22). 

 A remarkably large specimen from the coast of British Guiana 

 of a species of this group (Pristis perrotteti) is exhibited. 

 Another very small division of Fishes comprises the Lampreys 

 and Hags, of which a few specimens are shown. 



The largest exhibited specimen of the class is the head of a 

 full-grown example of the Great Basking Shark (Selache [or 

 Oetorhinus] maxima, fig. 23), captured on the 2nd of March, 1875, 

 near Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight. The length of the 

 entire specimen was twenty-eight feet, but, as the minute size 

 of the teeth indicate, it is a comparatively harmless animal. 

 A smaller female specimen is suspended from the roof ; and 

 below this is placed a model of the skeleton of the same species. 

 Near by is a young specimen of another Basking Shark 

 (Bhinodon typicus), which when adult is said to attain a length 

 of at least fifty feet. It inhabits the Indian and Pacific Oceans. 



Models of some of the more remarkable types of Extinct 

 Fishes are exhibited in one of the cases on the same side of the 

 gallerj-. 

 Insect Gallery. H- A small gallery is devoted to the group of Arthropoda or 

 Invertebrate animals with jointed limbs, such as Lobsters, 

 Crabs, Spiders, Centipedes, and Insects. 



At the south end of this gallery are exhibited specimens of 

 Crabs and Lobsters. Among the former, special attention may 

 be directed to the specimens of the Giant Crab (Macrochira) of 

 Japan, and also to the Cocoanut Crab {Birgus latro, fig. 24), which 

 feeds on young cocoanuts, and is related to the Hermit-Crabs. 

 In the central table-cases, besides Crustacea (Crabs, Lobsters, 

 etc.), are displayed the Scorpions and Spiders, including several 

 examples of the large Bird-eating Spiders. 



The northern half of the gallery is devoted to the exhibited 



