GROUND FLOOR. 
45 
The south side of this room (right on entering) is chiefly Extinct Birds, 
devoted to the remains of extinct birds, including the famous 
Lizard-tailed Bird {Arclimoioteryx) of the Solenhofen beds of 
Bavaria, the oldest known member of the class, presenting 
many reptilian characters, but with well-developed feathers on 
the wings and tail, the impressions of which are beautifully 
preserved in the specimen. A series of skeletons of the Moa 
or Dinornis of I^ew Zealand, a bird in which no trace of a 
wing has been discovered, show the diversity of size of different 
members of the group, some far exceeding any existing ostrich 
and others scarcely larger than a good- sized turkey. Some 
of these remains are so recent as still to be covered with dried 
skin, and even feathers. Several eggs are also shown, but large 
as these are, they are greatly exceeded in size by those of the 
^pyornis from Madagascar, in the south-east corner of the room. 
The long gallery north of the mammalian saloon contains a Extinct 
fine assemblage of Eeptilian remains. The south side is devoted ^^P^^^^^- 
to the great sea-lizards (Flesioscmria and Ichtliyosauria), in- 
cluding the collection described and figured in Mr. Hawkins's 
Book of the Great Sea-Dragons. Pianged in the cases on the 
north side are remains of the gigantic Dinosauria, which far 
exceeded in size any other land animals. At the eastern end 
of the gallery are the Pterosauria, or Flying Eeptiles. 
Of the galleries leading backwards from this, the one nearest Extinct 
the centre of the building, is devoted to the collection of fossil Wishes. 
Fishes, an account of which has been published in a special 
guide.* The next contains the Cephalopods, a group of animals 
abounding in extinct forms, of which the Belemnites and 
Ammonites are the best known. The form and structure of 
their nearest living representatives, the various species of Cuttle- 
fishes, Squids, Argonauts and N"autilus are illustrated by models 
and drawings placed near the entrance of the gallery. The 
third gallery contains the remaining Molluscs, Echinoderms, 
Annelids and Crustacea ; the fourth the Corals, Sponges, Protozoa Extinct 
and fossil Plants. In these last two galleries the British ^ndTiante*^^ 
specimens are placed in the table-cases, and those of foreign 
origin in the cases round the walls. 
* ' Guide to the Collection of Fossil Fishes in the Dexjaitment of Geology 
and Palaioutoio<^y.' Price fourpence. 
