34 
WEST WING. 
their colours. The main collection of insects is, on this account, 
and because of the immense space it would otherwise occupy, 
kept in cabinets in the " insect-room " on the basement floor, to 
wliich students can have access under the regulations which 
will be found at the end of this guide. 
Reptile III- A large gallery containing the collection of stuffed speci- 
GaUery. mens and skeletons of Eeptiles, including Crocodiles, Lizards, 
Snakes and Tortoises. As in the case with the fishes, a large 
number of the animals of this class are necessarily preserved in 
spirit, and therefore not suitable subjects for exhibition. The 
gallery contains examples of all the forms of general interest, for 
an account of which the visitor is referred to the special guide.* 
The fine and unique series of Gigantic Land Tortoises which 
are either extinct or doomed to speedy extermination; the 
interesting skeleton of the Leathery Turtle {Sphargis) in which 
the carapace is separated from the true skeleton; the large 
stuffed examples of the Fish-eating Gharial and of the dangerous 
Crocodiles of Africa, India and Australia ; the Snake-eating 
Snake {Opliiopliagus), the largest of poisonous snakes ; and the 
great stuffed Anaconda {Boa murina) at the end of the room — 
are the objects which will most attract the attention of the 
visitors to this gallery, 
star fish ^ gallery is called Star-fish Gallery from being 
Gallery. specially devoted to the Star-fishes and their allies — the Echino- 
DERMATA ; these are arranged systematically in table-cases 1-6, 
and in case 7 there are specimens illustrating the anatomy 
of the skeleton, and models and figures descriptive of the 
remarkable changes undergone by these animals in the course of 
their development. As magnificent examples the visitor should 
not fail to notice in 1 D Pycnojjodia heliantJioides, and in 2 B and 
C the fine series of Linchia, and in 2 D-F and 3 A the extensive 
collection of Oreaster; in 3 E are two remarkable specimens 
of Astropeden ; in 4 C an almost complete example of the 
brittlestar (Ophiomastix annulosa) should be noticed, and on the 
tops of cases 5 and 6 are good examples of Diadema and 
Uchinus, The most beautiful and remarkable specimens in the 
gallen'' are the stalked Crinoids, which were collected by 
the " Challenger," or dredged when seeking for a telegraph wire 
♦ ' Guide to the Gallery of Reptiles.' Price twopence. 
