SECOND FLOOR. 
45 
sists mainly of tlie great Herbarium. This is a collection of 
plants, fastened on single sheets of folio paper, representing, as 
far as it has been possible to obtain them, first, every species of 
plant living on the earth, and then the distribution of each 
species on the surface of the earth. The various species are 
collected under their respective genera, and these are arranged 
in their ISTatural Orders, and the whole are systematically 
classified, beginning with the most highly organised (the 
Bamtnmdacem), and going down to the lowest members of the 
Vegetable Kingdom (the Fungi). 
The foundation of this great Herbarium was the collection of Historical 
Sir Joseph Banks, consisting of the plants obtained by himself t^^^^^^'^^""' ^ 
and Dr. Solander in their voyage round the world with Captain barium. 
Cook, and of numerous series from all quarters of the globe 
presented to him or purchased by him. He bequeathed all his 
botanical collections to the Trustees of the British Museum in 
1820, reserving to Eobert Brown, in whose charge they had Sir Joseph- 
been for years, the use of them during his lifetime. Mr. Brown 
transferred them to the Trustees of the Museum in 1827, and 
was appointed the first Keeper of the Department. The yearly 
additions since 1827 have been so extensive that the Banksian 
Collections form now but a small proportion of the great 
Herbarium. In a brief notice it is impossible to give a correct 
idea of the richness of this Herbarium. Among the principal 
collections contained in it may be mentioned those of Clayton, 
Eoemer, Miller, Brown, Bowie and Cunningham, Gardner, 
Nuttall, Horsfield, Konig, Martin, Masson, Wilson, Hampe, 
Seemann, Welwitsch, Salt, and Miers. It includes also authentic 
specimens received from Loureiro, Gronovius, Tournefort, 
Jacquin, Aublet, Euiz and Pavon, and Perrottet. 
The cellular plants are accommodated in a large room in the CeUnlar 
Central Tower approached by a staircase, the entrance to which ^^^^^^^ 
is on the left side of the statue of Sir Joseph Banks. The 
Mosses include the collections of Wilson, Hampe, Drumm.ond 
and Spruce ; the Liverworts contain the herbarium of Hampe ; 
with the Lichens are incorporated collections made by Carroll, 
Spruce and Weddell. The Algae contain the herbarium of 
Prof. Dickie, the Diatomaceie those of Kiitzing and Greville, 
and collections from Harvey, Robert Brown, Shuttleworth, &c. 
