Birds. 163 



Room VIII. contained further Mineral exhibitions, and 

 Boom IX. was devoted parti; bo Geology and to the Inverte- 

 brata, with a very perfect specimen of the skull and horns of 

 the Irish Elk on the walls. Room X. contained the Bird 



collection, which has been described above, and also Crustacea, 

 Arachnides, Insects, etc., while the collection of Mollusca was 

 arranged in table-cases in the centre of the room. 



Room XI. held the Quadrupeds, among them the Black 

 Ourang-outang and the Chestnut Ourang-outang, both in a young 

 state, a large Antelope, a small ditto, etc., while on the wall- 

 were cases containing Sword-fish, etc. 



Room XII. was the spirit-room of that day, and had Reptilia 

 and Fish in spirit, as well as many Mammals. 



We are informed in the " Synopsis" (p. xv) that " the original 

 building being by no means sufficiently spacious for the reception 

 of this and the Egyptian collections, Parliament has from time 

 to time voted sufficient supplies for the purpose of erecting an 

 additional edifice, which is now completed, and a magnificent 

 collection of ancient sculpture is at length opened for the 

 inspection of strangers as well as for the improvement of artists, 

 an advantage which the students in the fine arts have never 

 before enjoyed in this country." The collection of Antiquities 

 occupied thirteen rooms, the Portland Vase being exhibited in 

 the ante-room to Room XII. 



The next edition of the " Synopsis " in our library at the 

 Natural History Museum is the fourteenth, printed by Richard 

 and Arthur Taylor, Shoe Lane, in 1818. The " Introduction " 

 was now omitted from the " General Guide," but it could be 

 obtained from the messenger at the Museum. 



Considerable modifications seem to have been made in the 

 arrangement of the different collections. The ground floor is 

 still devoted to the Printed Books, but on the upper floor the 

 1st Room is devoted principally to Ethnology. The articles of 

 dress and weapons from the South Sea Islands must have been 

 mostly from Cook's voyages and Banks' donations, though the 

 fact is not stated. 



Room II. (for the use of readers) is now " empty." Rooms 

 III.— VII. do not appear to have been altered, and contained the 

 Manuscripts. The "Saloon " is still devoted to the collection of 

 Minerals, of which a full account is once more given, with certain 

 improvements and italicisation, and a plan <>f the "order of the 

 table cases in the Saloon." An "Alphabetical List of the 



M 2 



