FLOOR.] 
NORTHERN" ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. 
15 
hibiting the structures, diseases, deformities, and reparations of shells, 
such as the distorted variety of the common Garden Snail, described as 
Helix Cornucopias ; a series of the eggs and egg-cases of Molluscs ; a 
series of specimens exhibiting the shells used for commercial purposes, 
such as the cameos, mother-of-pearl, gloves made from the byssus of 
the Pinna, the Chank shells carved by the natives of India and used 
in their temples. In another Case are specimens of the various kinds 
of Sea Slugs, " Bechedi Mar," or Trepang (Holothuria), from the 
Canton market, where they are sold as articles of food. 
THE NORTHERN ZOOLOGICAL GALLERY. 
FIRST ROOM. 
The Wall Cases contain a collection of the Nests of Birds and 
Insects, exhibiting the architecture of these animals. Among the 
more noticeable are the playing avenues of the Australian Bower 
Birds, the pendulous nests of some of the Orioles, and the gelatinous 
nests of the Esculent Swallow. The Table Cases contain specimens 
illustrative of the various changes of Insects, their nests and struc- 
tures; the cocoon of the gigantic Goliath Beetle of Western Africa, 
the clay nests of various species of White Ants, and the various Vege- 
table Galls, are shown here. The Cases contain a collection of the 
nests of the different Hymenoptera: some of the nests prepared by the 
wasps are formed of clay, while others are of a kind of paper from 
vegetable substances. Specimens of the various insect fabricators of 
these structures are attached, when possible, to the nests. On the 
walls are suspended some of the larger specimens of Reptiles. 
Some of the rarest examples of small quadrupeds are exhibited on 
the Table Cases. The stuffed specimen of the Aye- aye of Madagascar 
shows its large ears, the slender middle finger of the fore-hand, and 
the thick thumb of the hind-hand. The skeleton of the same animal 
shows the strong curved chisel-shaped front teeth : with these the 
Aye-aye gnaws down to the burrows of wood-eating grubs, and with 
its slender hooked finger extracts them. It is nocturnal, arboreal, 
and is guided to its favourite food by its acute sense of hearing. 
SECOND ROOM. 
The Wall Cases contain the stuffed exotic Reptiles and 
Batrachia ; in the Table Cases are contained the hard parts of 
the Radiated Animals, including the Sea-Eggs, Sea-Stars, and 
Encrinites. 
The Wall Cases 1-10 contain the Lizards ; as the Monitors 
of Africa and India, venerated by the natives, who believe that 
they give notice of the approach of Crocodiles and Alligators, and 
hence their name ; the Heloderms of Mexico, which have grooves in 
the back of the teeth like the poison-fangs of serpents ; the Safeguards, 
large lizards of the tropical parts of America. The Seines, generally 
small, and polished : some have distinct and strong legs, and others 
