30 
WEST WING. 
among which the visitor will doubtless be attracted by those 
Groups of showing the nesting habits of our best-known British birds. The 
and NestB^^ great value of these groups consists in their absolute truthfulness. 
The surroundings are not selected by chance [or imagination, 
but in every case are carefully-executed reproductions of those 
that were present round the individual nest. When it has been 
possible, the actual rocks, trees or grass, have been preserved, 
or where these were of a perishable nature they were accurately 
modelled from nature. Tar more care has also been taken in 
preserving the natural form and characteristic attitude of the 
birds than was formerly the case in Museums, as a large 
number of the old specimens in the wall-cases unhappily 
testify. This beautiful and instructive series is still in process of 
formation. 
In the " Pavilion," or room at the further end of the gallery, 
are placed the specimens of the peculiar division of birds, called 
Eatitce, from the flat or raft-like character of the breast-bone, 
and which, owing to the rudimentary character of their wings, 
have not the power of raising themselves off the ground in flight. 
They include the largest existing birds, the ostriches, emus and 
cassowaries, as well as the small kiwi or apteryx of N"ew 
Zealand. 
Parallel with the bird gallery to the north side (right on 
entering), and approached by several passages, is a long narrow 
Coral Gallery, gallery containing the collection of sponges and of corals and 
allied forms. Among the former, the beautiful silicious 
Ewpledella (Yenus' flower basket) the Hyalonema, or glass rope 
sponge, and the gigantic Rhaphiophora (Neptune's goblet) are 
conspicuous. The corals which present immense varieties ox 
form, and also of colour, are the dried hard calcareous supporting 
part, or skeleton, of creatures allied to the well-known sea- 
anemones of our coasts. 
Approached through the Coral Gallery, and running backwards 
at right angles with it, are a number of galleries containing other 
portions of the zoological collections. 
Jisli Gallery. I. A large gallery nearest to the Central Hall contains the 
exhibited portion of the collection of Fishes, the greater number 
of which, preserved in spirit, are placed for safety in a detached 
building behind the Museum, where they are available for study 
