38 
BIRD GALLERY. 
African 
Antelopes. 
Giraffes 
and Okapi. 
Gonld 
Collection of 
Humming- 
Birds. 
The west, south, and east corridors contain a portion of the 
collection of mounted Mammals for which there is not room in 
the gallery immediately adjoining. The specimens placed here 
include a large number of species of the finest African Antelopes, 
animals remarkable for their beauty, for their former countless 
numbers, and for their threatened extermination in consequence 
of the inroads of civilized man into their domain. 
In a case at the head of the staircase leading to the east 
corridor are three mounted specimens of Giraffes, and near by 
a skeleton of the same. Alongside of the former is placed 
a case containing the heads and necks together with skulls of 
other Giraffes ; while in a third are displayed specimens of 
their near ally the Okapi (fig. 13) of the Congo Forest. 
The collection of Humming-Birds {Trochilidce) arranged and 
mounted by the late Mr. John Gould, and purchased for the 
Museum after his death in 1881, is disposed partly in the 
east corridor and partly on the pillars of the staircase. The 
resplendent colours and singular varieties of form presented by 
these fairy-like objects can scarcely fail to excite admiration 
WEST WING. 
The whole of the west wing of the building is devoted to th 
collections of recent Zoology. 
(A) Ground Floor. 
Bird Gallery The ground floor is entered from the west side (left hand) o 
the central hall, near the main entrance of the building. Th 
long gallery, extending the entire length of the front of the win 
as far as the west pavilion, is assigned to the exhibited collectio 
of Birds, the study-series of the same group being kept i 
cabinets in a room behind. 
