A. C. L. O. Giinther. xxiii 



Second-Class Assistants, Messrs. W. E. Ogilvie-G-rant (Birds), and Mr. J. J. 

 Quelch (Polyzoa, Anthozoa, and Hydrozoa). In addition, an articulator and 

 two boy attendants were appointed. A most important change was at the 

 same time instituted by the re-arrangement of the duties of the attendants (13), 

 many of whom were skilled manipulators, so that when they were relieved of 

 menial duties they became of much assistance to the scientific staff in mani- 

 pulating- specimens, and in writing and copying. Some of these assistants 

 had considerable knowledge of the collections, and were able, for instance, so 

 early as 1863, to name collections for outsiders. By this change the prepara- 

 tion of the various catalogues was expedited. 



3. Catalogues and Guides. — One of the duties of the Keeper was to superin- 

 tend the preparation of catalogues and guides of the vast collections, and 

 Dr. Giinther from the first set himself with energy to this department, showing 

 an example by his own Catalogue of the Gigantic Land-Tortoises, living and 

 extinct, 96 pages and 55 plates (1877). A continuous series of catalogues 

 and guides marked his tenure of office, and rendered the Museum a centre of 

 zoological progress, as well as a popular resort for information in Natural 

 History. When the Trustees consulted the Keepers about the Index 

 Museum proposed by Sir Eichard Owen, the Superintendent, Dr. Giinther's 

 recommendation to them was as follows : — " To render the exhibition-series 

 in every way instructive, a more perfect plan of labelling throughout the 

 collection should be introduced, and a new guide-book should be prepared. A 

 clearly written guide, well illustrated with woodcuts, will supply all the 

 information useful to the public and draw their attention to the more 

 remarkable types. As the different divisions of the animal kingdom will 

 be separated in distinct rooms, it will be possible to prepare this guide 

 on an entirely different plan from that at present in use at the British 

 Museum, viz., in the form of a popular, but systematic, handbook of 

 Natural History." The Index Museum was proceeded with, though greatly 

 altered in aim and constitution in subsequent years, and Gunther's 

 suggestion in regard to the guide-books was successfully carried out, so 

 that these were instructive not only to the visitors to the Museum, but 

 to Provincial Museums and schools of Natural History all over the country. 



The plans of the new Natural History Museum at South Kensington were 

 submitted to Dr. Gray in 1871, and when Dr. Giinther became Keeper in 

 1875, he and the other Keepers watched the arrangements for the several 

 galleries as instructed by the Trustees. Yet he was greatly handicapped 

 by the arrangements made by the architect, so that it was found impossible 

 to have the mammals on the ground floor as intended, and thus the birds had 

 to be placed there. It was during his tenure of the office of Keeper that the 

 transfer of the vast zoological collections from Bloomsbury to their new home 

 in South Kensington took place, viz., in 1882-83. The Superintendent, 

 Prof. Owen, was then advanced in life, so that the chief responsibility fell 

 on Giinther, and the successful manner in which this delicate task was 

 carried out reflects credit equally on his administrative capacity and his 



