l3% HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM. 



proportion. The collection of birds and quadru- 

 peds is 20 times as numerous ; that of fishes, 

 now the most extensive with which we are ac- 

 quainted, was formerly insignificant; that of in- 

 sects, which consists of 4 ? 000 individuals of 

 22,000 different species, contained only i,5oo 

 specimens; that of shells also has been greatly 

 increased. The rich cabinets of comparative 

 anatomy, geology, and fossil bones were not 

 then in existence. The menagerie of Versailles 

 contained a small number of animals, and was of 

 little use to zoology ; that of the Museum has pre- 

 sented successively more than 5oo species, and 

 has given rise to many important observations. 



The garden, the buildings and the collections, 

 form a magnificent monument, but it is the ex- 

 tent given to the instruction which has infused 

 new life into the institution, and rendered it of 

 general utility. In the King's Garden there were 

 three professors and three demonstrators : in the 

 Museum there are thirteen professors, with aid- 

 naturalists attached to such as need assistance ; 

 and twice as many lectures are delivered from 

 each chair. 



The Museum employs one hundred and sixty- 

 one persons, of whom ninety-nine are paid by 

 the month, and sixty-two by the year. A cor- 

 respondence is kept up with all similar esta- 



