X 



in obtaining a most extensive, complete and valuable collection of 

 Fossil Fishes ; probably the largest in the world. From that period 

 until the death of Sir Philip Egerton they were joint collectors, 

 scrupulously dividing their acquisitions, and that so industriously, 

 that nearly the same species occurred in each cabinet ; it was owing 

 to this union of partnership that the two collections were so inti- 

 mately interwoven, and for the interest of Ichthyic Palaeontology 

 inseparable; hence their subsequent possession by the nation, and 

 united preservation in the galleries of the British Museum of Natural 

 History, Cromwell Road. 



Three years previous to Lord Enniskillen's death (1883), that 

 portion contained in the Florence Court Collection was purchased by 

 the trustees of the British Museum, through a special grant from the 

 Treasury. 



Lord Enniskillen* and Sir Philip Egerton, after leaving Oxford, 

 travelled through much of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, solely for 

 the purpose of studying and collecting one group of the Yertebrata, 

 and to this large division of the animal kingdom they appear always 

 to have restricted their researches ; their continental journey was 

 also undertaken to- still more perfect their knowledge of stratigra- 

 phical Geology, in connexion with their palseontological researches ; 

 how completely this was continued, and carried on until both our 

 distinguished Fellows were removed 1 by death, is fully exemplified by 

 the union of the two great collections — or that of Florence Court and 

 that of Oulton Park — now arranged together in the galleries of the 

 British Museum of Natural History, 



Lord Enniskillen also particularly examined the caves of Germany, 

 Belgium, 4c, obtaining from Gailenreuth, Kuhktoh, and Engis, a rich 

 series of bones illustrating the remains of extinct Mammalia, 

 especially those of the lion, mammoth, rhinoceros,, hyaena, and rein- 

 deer. 



At home and abroad every locality and geological horizon yielding 

 the remains of fish attracted Lord Enniskillen's attention,, who never 

 failed to secure every good as well as new form for his Florence Court 

 Collection, duplicates whenever they occurred being also added to the 

 Oulton Park Museum by Sir Philip* Egerton. 



This dual possession and study of Fossil Ichthyology arose through 

 their intimate acquaintance in 1830 and subsequent years with 

 Agassiz, who impressed upon them the importance of confining them- 

 selves to one line or branch of research; the result of which has been 

 the formation of these two unrivalled collections of Fossil Fish, the 

 history of which, through the works of Agassiz and Sir Philip 

 Egerton, has greatly enriched the literature of this extensive division 

 in Zoology, especially as regards structure and distribution. 



* Then Viscount Cole. 



