66 
FOSSIL MAMMAL GALLERY. 
At the west end of the portion of this gallery open to the 
public stands an instructive and interesting case exhibiting 
many of the structural differences distinguishing the Man-like 
Apes from Man himself; and also showing different types of 
human skulls and the method of measuring the same. On the 
adjacent screens and partitions are diagrams, photographs, 
and sketches illustrating hand and finger-prints, the identifica- 
tion of criminals by means of the latter, " palmistry," &c. 
EAST WING. 
Geound Floor. 
iiffiontologi- The ground floor of this wing consists, as on the other side of 
l1 Collection, the building, of a gallery running west and east the whole length 
of the wing in front, of a smaller parallel gallery behind it, and 
leading from the latter a series of galleries running north and 
south. With the exception of a certain number of recent 
skeletons introduced for comparison, and the entire series of 
specimens of Elephants, the whole of this floor is occupied 
by the collection of the remains of animals and plants 
which flourished in geological periods anterior to that in 
which we are now living. Some of these belong to species 
still existing upon the earth, but the great majority are 
extinct. They are arranged mainly upon zoological principles, 
that is, the forms which are believed to have natural affinities 
are placed together ; but within some of the great divisions thus 
mapped out, especially of the invertebrata and plants, it has 
been found convenient to adopt a stratigraphical or even 
geographical grouping, the fossils of different geological forma- 
tions being kept apa.rt, and those of the British Isles separated 
from those of foreign localities. 
This portion of the Museum is more fully described in the 
Illustrated Guides * than is possible in the present work. 
* "Guide to the Exhibition Galleries of the Depart nicnt of Geolo;j;y and 
Palaeontology." Part I. Mammalia and Birds; price sixpence. Part 11. 
iicptilia and I'^ishes, Northern Galleries ; price sixpence. 
