12 



INTRODUCTION. 



hausen s collection of Fossil Plants of Austria ; the Beccles 

 collection of Mammalian and Reptilian remains from the Pur- 

 beck beds of Swanage ; Dr. Haberlein's Solenhofen collection ; 

 and J. de Carle Sowerby's collection, containing most of the 

 specimens figured in his " Mineral Conchology." 



The last acquisitions of importance in this department are 

 the celebrated collections of Fossil Fishes formed simul- 

 taneously by the Earl of Enniskillen and the late Sir Philip 

 Grey-Egerton, Bart., M.P., which were used by Professor 

 Agassiz in his works on Fossil Fishes. They contain most 

 of the types figured and described by that author. 



The original nucleus of the Mineral collection was formed 

 by the purchase, in 1811, of Col. Greville's minerals, among 

 which were a magnificent crystalline specimen of Rubellite 

 from Ava, and some of the finest specimens known of the rare 

 minerals Phosgenite and Matlockite. The great development 

 of the collection since the institution of the Mineralogical, as 

 distinct from the Geological, Department, in 1857, has been 

 effected by the acquisition of certain important collections 

 and by purchases of individual specimens, as far as possible 

 directly from the districts in which the minerals were raised. 

 Of the acquisitions since 1857, the most important is the Allan- 

 Greg collection, first formed by Mr. Allan, of Edinburgh, added 

 to by its subsequent owner, Mr. Robert Greg, and purchased by 

 the Trustees in 1859. It supplied many species previously 

 wanting to the collection, and was especially valuable for the 

 authenticity of the localities assigned to the specimens ; in which 

 respect the Museum collection had fallen much in arrear. It also 

 gave a new starting point for the collection of Meteorites by 

 the addition of a carefully formed series of these bodies. The 

 Meteorites, now representing 361 distinct falls, form the most 

 complete collection that exists. The Mineral Department re- 

 ceived a very important addition in the year 1865, when the 

 collection formed by the eminent Russian crystallographer and 

 mineralogist General von Kokscharow was purchased in St. 

 Petersburg. By this purchase a very fine series of Russian 

 and Siberian minerals was acquired, including Topazes from 

 the Urulga River and Siberian specimens of Euclase of the 



