110 HISTOKICA.L SKETCH. 



arches under the side-flights of the main staircase at the end of 

 the hall lead into another large apartment, with an extreme 

 length of 97 by 77 feet measured into the arms of the cross. 



Side gaUeries. " Branching out of the Central Hall, near its southern 

 extremity, are two long galleries, each 278 feet 6 in. long by 

 50 feet wide. These galleries are repeated on the first floor, and 

 in a modified form on the second floor. They are divided into 

 bays by coupled piers arranged in two rows down the length of 

 the galleries, and planned in such a manner as to allow of upright 

 cases being placed back to back between the piers and the outer 

 walls, so as to get the best possible light upon the objects 

 displayed in the cases with the least amount of reflection from 

 the glass, and leaving the central space free as a passage. 

 Owing to the nature of the specimens exhibited in one or two 

 of these galleries requiring for their exhibition rather table- 

 cases than wall-cases, advantage has only been taken to a 

 limited extent of this disposition of the plan. These terra-cotta 

 piers, however, are constructively necessary, not only to conceal 

 the iron supports for the floor above, but to prevent these supports 

 being affected in case of fire. Behind these gaUeries on the ground 

 floor are a series of toplighted gaUeries, devoted, on the east side 

 to Geology and Palaeontology, and on the west to Zoology. 



Towers. " The towers on the north of the building have each a central 



smoke-shaft from the heating apparatus, the boilers of which 

 are placed in the basement, immediately between the towers, 

 while the space surrounding the smoke-shafts is used for draw- 

 ing off the vitiated air from the various gaUeries contiguous 

 thereto. The front gaUeries are ventUated into the front towers, 

 which form the crowning feature of the main front. These 

 towers also contain, above the second floor, various rooms for 

 the work of the different departments, and on the topmost 

 storey large cisterns for the purpose of always having at hand a 

 considerable storage of water in case of fire. On the western side 

 of the buUding, where it is intended that the Zoological coUection 

 shaU be placed, the ornamentation of the terra-cotta (which wiU 

 be found very varied both within and without the building) has 

 been based exclusively on Uving organisms. On the east side, 

 where Geology and Palaeontology find a home, the terra-cotta 

 ornamentation has been derived from extinct specimens. 



