158 Zoology. 



most prominent figure. Jupiter is immediately above her ; and 

 about him are three female figures with stars over their heads, 

 administering to him, one of them pouring nectar, or some 

 healing ointment, upon his head. On one side of Minerva is 

 Vulcan, and close to him Cupid with an axe in his hand ; on the 

 other side is Mercury, seemingly starting to announce the happy 

 tidings on earth. The other heathen divinities surround this 

 group in admiration of the event ; and in a lower compartment 

 opposite the chimney are the Vices expelled from heaven on the 

 manifestation of Wisdom. In the six medallions near the 

 corners of the room are figured some of the principal achieve- 

 ments of Minerva. In the first, over the door of the MS. 

 Department, she is assisting Perseus in cutting off the head of 

 Medusa ; in the second she, with some of the Muses, presides 

 over harmony ; in No. 3 she kills a lion (an emblem of her 

 valour) ; in No. 4 she assists Jupiter in fighting the Titans ; in 

 No. 5 she contends with Neptune about the naming of Athens ; 

 and in No. 6 is figured the fable of Arachne metamorphosed by 

 her into a spider. Between these medallions are groups of 

 winged boys, emblematically alluding to their several employ- 

 ments, to arts, sciences, commerce, and war. 



"The landscapes and architectural decorations are by the 

 same J. Rousseau who painted in the staircase ; and the garlands 

 of flowers are by John Baptist Monoyer, the most eminent flower 

 painter of his time." 



Over the chimney is a full-length portrait of King George II. 

 by Shackleton, and in the middle stands a table, composed of a 

 variety of lavas from Mount Vesuvius, presented by the Earl of 

 Exeter. 



Boom VIII. contained the Mineral collections, Boom IX. the 

 Petrifactions and Shells, Boom X. Vegetable productions and 

 Zoophytes, with Insects, Shells, etc., many being spirit specimens. 

 The Birds were to be found in Boom XL, disposed, so far as 

 convenience would admit, according to the Linnsean mode of 

 arrangement, viz., into six great divisions or orders, the separa- 

 tions of which were marked by white lines between each. Some 

 birds, however, on account of the large size of the cases in which 

 they were contained, could not conveniently be stationed in their 

 proper orders, and were therefore disposed on the upper part of 

 the general divisions. 



The Birds were classified under the headings of Accipitres, 

 Picse, Anseres, Grallse, Gallinse, and Passeres. Those selected 



