FLOOR.] 
MMIMALIA SALOON. 
7 
tail ; the Tupaia of Java; the long-nosed Elephant-shrews of Africa ; 
the little sharp-nosed Shrews which live on insects and worms; the 
Gjmnura of Malacca, the largest of the group. 
Cases 53-64. The various kinds of Marsupial Animals, so called 
from the pouch in which the young is so long nurtured ; they are only 
found in Australia and America: among them may be noticed the 
Petauri or Flying Phalangers ; the Cuscus, natives of New Guinea and 
the adjacent islands, with their prehensile tails ; the dwarf Opossum 
Mouse and curious-footed Tarsipes of King George's Sound. The Koala, 
■often called by the Australian colonists the Monkey ; the Phalangers ; 
the Kangaroos, with their long hind legs and large tails, so useful 
to them in their flying leaps ; the Rock Kangaroo, and the Tree Kan- 
garoo, with its bear-like aspect. The Bettongia, one of which makes 
a curious nest ; the tail-less Wombat with its thick skull ; the vo- 
racious Tasmanian Wolf and the Dasyure or Australian Devil, which 
worries the sheep of the colonist ; the pretty-banded Myrmecobius. 
The Opossums of the New World, some of which feign death, and 
the curious Philander, the young of which climb on their mother's 
back and twine their tails round that of the parent, for safety. 
Cases 05-81 contain the Glires, or Gnawing animals, the mass of 
which are small-sized ; the largest is the Capybara of America. 
Amongst the more remarkable may be indicated, the trowel-tailed 
Beaver, still found in North America, but very rare in Europe ; the 
€o_ypu and Ondatra, whose furs are used in manufactures. Cases 
70-72. The Porcupines, so formidably armed with quills. Some 
-of these live among trees and have long prehensile tails ; the Agoutis 
and Pacas of the New World. Cases 73-75. The Hares, the fur and 
^lesh of which are so useful to mankind; the Jerboas, some of which 
take flying leaps ; the Peruvian Chinchilla, with its delicate fur ; the 
Dormice. Cases 77-80. The Squirrels, with their long bushy tails, 
•chiefly living among trees ; the Flying Squirrels, which can vault from 
tree to tree, assisted by the expansion of the skin of the sides. The 
Marmots, which pass the winter in a lethargic state ; the Mole Piats 
and Sand Moles burrow in the ground and feed on roots ; the Pouched 
Rats of North America, which have curious cheek pouches, wherein 
they store their food and carry it to their burrows. 
On the tops of the Cases and suspended on the walls, are arranged 
the collections of Seals, of Porpoises and Dolphins ; the Manatees of 
Jamaica and Western Africa : all mammalia living in the sea. Some 
of the Seals are much valued for their skins and for the oil derived 
from their fat. Among the Dolphin family may be noticed the cu- 
rious Platanista, or long-beaked Dolphin of the Ganges. 
The General Collections of Corals contained in the Table 
Cases are in progress of arrangement. Tables 1-20 contain the 
various kinds of Madrepores or Star Corals, as the Sea Mushroom ; 
the Erainstone ; the Clove Coral ; the Millepore. On the floor is a 
large mass of one of the corals which forms reefs in the sea, so dan- 
gerous to ships. Tables '20-31. The Barbed Corals, which generally 
assume the form of trees, as the Tree Coral ; the Red Coral of com- 
