1846-47 REPLY 277 



most practicable because the fossils at the museum 

 are not, like Sloanian and Banksian Natural History 

 specimens, special bequests, but have accumulated 

 gradually round a nucleus of a small but choice 

 collection of minerals, and the chief augmenta- 

 tions have been by Parliamentary grants for the 

 purchase of the two collections of Mr. Hawkins, 

 the collections of Dr. Mantell, Mr. Koch, &c. Of 

 all the Natural History departments in the museum, 

 I believe this to be most out of place there ; that 

 its removal would be opposed by fewest difficulties, 

 and that the space required by such removal 

 would be most valuable for the legitimate objects 

 of the Museum. 



' What I have done towards preparing the 

 way for the reception of such an addition to the 

 Hunterian basis of a national collection of com- 

 parative anatomy is as follows : — 



' I should premise that the portions of the 

 College funds assigned to the museum have been 

 applied during the last six or seven years almost 

 exclusively to the increase of the Surgical Depart- 

 ment. With great difficulty and by personal can 

 vass I have carried the purchase of a rare object 

 of comparative anatomy now and then. At length 

 the Pathological Museum overflows, and is made 

 to encroach on the Comparative Anatomy, against 

 the further extension of which want of space is 

 added to the argument of want of funds. Mr. 

 Barry [afterwards Sir Charles] is called in, and 



