9 6 



THE HUMMING BIRD. 



[December i, 1891 



and sections of several species of Cycadce. The next 

 two cases contain specimens of Tree-ferns, among 

 which are a large stem of Dicksonia, clothed with 

 aerial roots, stems of species of Alsophila, Cyathea and 

 Hemitelia. 



Suspended over the centre-cases is a fine specimen 

 of the Wabo Bamboo, Dendrocalamus brandisi, from 

 Burmah. It is 81 feet long. At the further end of 

 the gallery are specimens of a Palm tree from Brazil, 

 Acrocomia sphœrocarpa, and of the Grass tree of 

 Australia, Kingia australlis, and near them is placed 

 a fine section of the White Pine, Abies grandis, of 

 British Columbia. 



A collection of British Plants is exhibited in glazed 

 frames in the corners of the gallery. 



The portion devoted to students consists mainly of 

 the great Herbarium. 



The foundation of this Herbarium was the collection 

 of Sir Joseph Banks, consisting of the plants obtained 

 by himself and Dr. Solander in their voyage round 

 the world with Captain Cook, and of numerous series 

 from all quarters of the globe, presented to him or 

 purchased by him. The yearly additions since 1827 

 have been so extensive that the Banksian Collections 

 form now but a small proportion of the great Her- 

 barium. Among the principal collections contained 

 in it may be mentioned those of Clayton, Roemer, 

 Miller, Brown, Bowie and Cunningham, Gardner, 

 Nutall, Horsfield, Konig, Martin, Masson, Wilson, 

 Hampe, Seeman, Welwitsch, Salt and Miers. It in- 

 cludes also authentic specimens received from 

 Loureiro, Gronovius, Tournefort, Jacquin, Aublet, 

 Ruiz and Pavon, and Perrottet. 



There is a separate Herbarium of British Plants, 

 based on the collections formed by Sowerby in the 

 preparation of his great work " English Botany." 



Also the extensive Herbarium formed by Sir Hans 

 Sloane, to which has been added the collections of 

 Petiver, Buddie, Blukenet, Kaempfer, Kamel, Merrett, 

 Boerhaave, Vaillant, Banister, and others. 



The collection formed by Hermann, in Ceylon, 

 from which Linnseus prepared his " Flora Zeylonica," 

 and the singularly interesting and valuable collection 

 gathered in 1663 by John Ray in Europe. 



Besides the collection of dried plants there are two 

 allied collections arranged in the same gallery in 

 parallel series. One is the collection of fruits and 

 seeds, and the other the collection of woods. 



The student receives assistance in his investigations 

 from the extensive Library of the department, and 

 from a large collection of plates and drawings 

 systematically arranged in the same order as the plants 

 in the Herbarium. 



The cellular plants are accommodated in a large 

 room in the Central Tower, approached by a staircase, 

 the entrance to which is on the left side of the statue 

 of Sir Joseph Banks. The Mosses include the collec- 

 tions of Wilson, Hampe, Drummond, and Spruce; 

 the Liverworts contain the herbarium of Hampe ; 

 with the Lichens are incorporated collections made by 

 Caroll, Spruce, and Weddell. The Algae contain the 

 herbarium of Prof. Dickie, the Diatomacese of Kiitsing 

 and Greville, and collections from Harvey, Robert 

 Brown, Shuttleworth, etc. The extensive series of 

 Fungi, including collections from various botanists, 



has been increased by the bequest of the valuable 

 herbarium of the late Mr. E. E. Broome. 



Here ends my visit to the Natural History Depart- 

 ment of the British Museum, and with the very few 

 exceptions mentioned in this notice, which I hope will 

 be soon put in accordance with the rest, I may say 

 that the collections of the British Museum are very 

 fine and reflect a great credit on the Trustees and 

 Staff of the British Museum. 



Very profitable and agreeable hours, weeks, and 

 even months can be passed in looking over and 

 studying the numerous and valuable collections of 

 this magnificent establishment. The only wish that I 

 have to make is that it should always keep the first 

 place among the public Museums, by acquiring 

 progressively what they have not got among the old 

 species known, and all the novelties which are con- 

 stantly discovered in all parts of the globe. 



I shall now say a few words about the Natural 

 History Publications made by order of the Trustees 

 of the British Museum. I consider them as important, 

 or even more so, than the collections exhibited. They 

 are exceedingly valuable and quite indispensable to 

 naturalists. 



Up to date, not less than several hundred publica- 

 tions have been issued on Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, 

 Fishes, Insects, Fossils, etc., among which some are 

 very important. Among them I may mention the 

 Catalogue of Birds of which 17 volumes have been 

 published and is still in course of publication. It 

 has been so successful, that already Vol. I. and II. 

 are out of print, and very likely it will be the same with 

 all the other volumes before long. 



This good example ought to be followed by all the 

 leading Museums of the world. 



Another series of publications, which I consider as 

 very worthy, are the excellent Guide books, issued 

 since the transfer of the collections to South Kensing- 

 ton, and I hope that those of the sections in prepara- 

 tion will soon be out, to complete the series. 



These Guides, issued at a nominal price of one 

 penny to sixpence each, are the best of their kind that 

 I have ever seen, and I congratulate heartily the Trus- 

 tees, the Director and all the staff, for having issued 

 such useful, valuable and interesting Guides, which by 

 the modicity of their prices are accessible to all. 



In writing this notice, I have made a free use of 

 them, and I have been able to appreciate their great 

 value. 



To make these publications complete and un- 

 rivalled, it only remains for the Trustees of the 

 British Museum to prepare cheap editions of con- 

 densed notices on all the animals useful, neutral or 

 injurious to agriculture, with the means of preserving 

 the useful species and destroying the injurious. 



A special room for the exhibition of all such 

 animals should be highly prized by all. 



Now I will conclude in giving the list of the 

 actual Staff of the Natural History Branch of the 

 British Museum. 



Director: W. H. Flower, C.B., L.L.D., F.R.S. 



Assistant Secretary : C. E. Fagan. 



Clerks in Director's Office : T. F. Isaac and W. H. 

 R. Holl. 



Assistant in General Library : B. B. Woodward. 



