24 



afford. Neither plan obviates the objection 

 " to the present position of the Insect Room and 

 ** Zoological studies, disconnected as tbey are 

 ^*from the rest of Zoology. No. VII. retains 



the present irregularity in the floor levels, and 

 ^* No. VIII. whilst it remedies that defect, gives 

 " a very bad entrance for the public to the Print 

 " Department ; it moreover precludes the possi- 



bility of extending the Mineralogical studies, 



which Mr. Waterhouse represents to me as of 

 ** great importance. It is probable, also, that 

 " No. VIII. would somewhat diminish the light in 

 " the north portion of the Egyptian Saloon. 



Still these two plans comprise the best scheme 



that can be devised at the north-west corner of 

 ''the Museum.** 



" There is no doubt whatever that the only per- 

 '* fectly satisfactory project would be one that would 



devote the whole of this north-west corner to 

 *^ the Antiquities Departm^ent, and would remove 



the Zoological Collections, as well as the prints 

 " and drav/ings, to the new east wing that has 

 ** long been contemplated by the Trustees. Ento- 

 ** mology and Osteology would then combine with 



the other branches of natural history, whilst the 

 " prints and drawings v/ould be adjacent to the 



Department of Manuscripts where they for- 

 " m^erly were, and to which they seem naturally 



to appertain. 



Bui in making these latter ubservations I 



